The Star Cycle, Book 2: Shooting Stars
by Wildhorses1492
Summary: "Perhaps it can be found at the end of the world, but who can say?" The new king of Narnia seeks answers for his troubled conscience at the Eastern Ocean's end. But many challenges lie in his path. With Susan by his side, Caspian ventures to the sea. Along the way old friends are found and new ones are made. But I offer caution when wishing on stars, for only change can come.
1. The Start of Two Journeys

**~Shooting Stars~**

**Chapter One: The Start of Two Journeys**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~Cambridge, England~ **

"I'll come back quicker than you think," Peter whispered, hugging Lucy and Edmund. Lucy smiled and wiped away her tears. Peter had stayed two months with them at the Scrubb's house in Cambridge, and now he was going to the country to study for exams into college with Professor Kirke. They had never been separated like this before, besides the bittersweet parting with Susan, in their lives.

"I know, but we'll worry, and, you'll be alone for the first time. . ." she trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished because none of them wanted to bring up what they knew they were talking about.

"I'll be fine; just because I'm going to the place where everything began doesn't mean I can't look out for myself. I was doing that for a long time you know, before you became concerned," Peter said, smiling at her.

"Well, try not to wander off, whatever you do." Edmund grinned reminiscently as he remembered Peter telling him that, the _first_ time.

"I will. And you, try not to let mullet mouth get under your skin. You're a king; you've fought wars and led armies; I don't think a little boy who hasn't lived as long you have will be much of a problem," Peter advised, resting his hand lightly on Edmund's shoulder.

"What're you saying? That I should try and forgive him everything he's done– what game are you playing?" Edmund looked at his older brother suspiciously.

"No game, just remember: everyone deserves a second chance, even when it seems like they don't. Don't doubt his value– we tend to do that too much," Peter answered wisely, removing his hand and reaching for his bags. Edmund stopped, recalling when he'd heard a similar concept. Fine; he'd try– but only because the High King was telling him to, otherwise, the kid was toast.

"Tell Digory we miss him! And that we need to all get together soon, to talk about old times!" Lucy called as Peter stepped onto the bus, destined for Mr. Kirke's house. The blonde young man nodded before the doors hissed closed behind him. The two siblings stood on the sidewalk long after the bus had rolled out of sight. There is something painful about parting from a friend and a relative. They did not like to be reminded of that feeling again.

"Doesn't it seem like we've lost two older siblings now?" Edmund commented as they walked back up the front path to the house.

"Yes, it does, very much so. I wonder how Susan is and how Caspian's coping with Narnia. Oh, this will be such a dismal year, staying with. . ."

"_Eustace_." Both uttered the same name at the same time, looking grim.

"After you, _Queen_ Lucy," Edmund whispered, opening the front door and smiling ever-so-slightly. She shared a knowing smile with him as she walked past. Upon closing the door, they were met with an annoying figure.

Eustace Clarence Scrubb.

"Done saying goodbye? Well then, Alberta wants you to fix dinner, Lucy. Edmund, she wants you to set the table as well." Eustace liked giving orders, it made him feel superior to everyone else, and besides, he rather had the right, it being his house and all. Edmund scowled; but, keeping in mind what Peter had told him, he went about the task he'd been given.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

After a week of Eustace, however, diplomacy was beginning to wear thin on Edmund's part.

"Eustace, please, give me the book," Edmund requested through clenched teeth, wishing he were anywhere but here.

"No, I want to see what's so special about this journal anyway," the blonde boy retorted. Fingering the gold clasp in the shape of a Narnian fire-flower, he was surprised to note that it refused to open.

"What is this, some sort of prank?" Eustace whined, looking at the sixteen-year-old.

"No, it just doesn't like you." Edmund smirked, looking at the gold and brown leather book in his cousin's hands. Aslan had prepared for everything, it seemed; now, if only he could figure out what the journals were _for._

"Rubbish. But I shouldn't expect anything less from you. You were always immature," Eustace declared snidely, putting the book back on the table where he'd found it.

"Thank you for the compliment; I'll never grow up – don't believe I want to – you, on the other hand; well, you'll miss out on many things if you do." So saying, Edmund picked up the book and walked out, leaving a flabbergasted Eustace in his wake.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

After that little run-in, Eustace tried to make Edmund's life miserable; he could say anything to his mother and father and they would believe him, never having liked Helen or her children in the first place. Little digs at him, such as:

"Edmund, Mother wants you to go get this" or "Edmund, Mother wants you to do that." "Father says you should work on this" and "Father says you have a problem with that." Were starting to drive Edmund insane; not even Lucy was enough to ease his resentment.

She began to get worried; if Edmund was continually provoked like this he'd do one of two things: something rash and without much clear thought or injure Eustace in a way that he would remember all his life. Edmund was the Just King, but he also had an uncontrollable hatred and anger, that, if allowed to grow, would be fearful to see. He was the king who had given no thought to keeping hostages, could care less about his opponent's pain, and fought to the death. Powerful leadership abilities in Narnia, but deadly characteristics here in England.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Lucy, what fun does he get out of making our lives miserable?" Edmund muttered, looking at the painting on Lucy's mantle from where he was lying on the floor. They were talking in her room, in the time of the day when they had an hour or so to themselves.

"I don't know, Edmund; what I _do_ know is you're not responding to it like the Just King I know you are. If you think about this from a Narnian point of view, you're almost fourteen hundred years older than him– couldn't you act it?" she begged, looking down at him from where she sat on her bed. He frowned.

"You're giving it a valiant effort, sister, but it's just not working. I can't stand it any longer, being tormented by someone younger than me! I tried following Peter's advice, and it's working, but hardly enough to show." They sat in silence for some time, thinking about how dreadful these past two months had been, when Edmund spoke again.

"I like your painting."

"Yes, so do I. Aunt Alberta hates it though; that's why it's up here in this room, so she won't have to look at it."

"She didn't think of throwing it, or giving it, away?" Edmund asked casually, focusing more on the ship than on the conversation, an idea forming in his head.

"No, she can't really; it's a gift from a neighbor, Mrs. McCleash, for her wedding, and the woman obviously has some sort of standing here so she really can't do anything with it, other than hide it, I suppose," Lucy replied.

"Fascinating; simply fascinating," Edmund answered absently, thinking more of his plan to rid himself of Eustace and this house than what his sister had told him.

"Are you all right?" she asked, looking down at him in concern, he sounded. . . off.

"Fine, just smashing." He grinned, before standing.

"All right, I believe you, I think," she said as he left. "Oh, Edmund!" she called, suddenly remembering what they were supposed to do tomorrow.

"What?" he asked, opening the door and leaning into the room a bit.

"Tomorrow we're to go grocery shopping, don't forget!"

"Excellent!" he ejaculated brightly, closing the door and walking off. Lucy frowned; she couldn't remember any time in both her lives when he'd said the word 'excellent' without it meaning something more.

"Oh, Peter, I wish you were here to help me with him." She sighed, looking at the painting on her mantle again. Abruptly she stood and walked over it; she could've sworn the water moved and the ship changed position. Shrugging her shoulders, she left to go fix supper.

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

"She's marvelous! For the first Narnian ship in thirteen hundred odd years, she's lovely," Susan declared with enthusiasm, looking over the vessel from where she stood on the docks. It had been too long since she'd last seen a Narnian ship.

"Thank you. Now, if only I could find someone to sail her for us," Caspian said, coming up next to her.

"Hmm, what about that sailor. . . Drinian, I think you told me his name was? He seems to know a great deal about the sea, couldn't he captain her?" Susan asked, glancing over at her husband.

"I don't know; truthfully I was thinking about it, but the question of does _he_ want to, still remains."

"Have you even asked him?" Susan smiled as she spoke. "No, I haven't," Caspian admitted, looking away.

"Well, when are you?" She looked at him expectantly, waiting for an answer. He shrugged in an offhand manner. "Soon. Tomorrow? I don't know."

"Are you afraid that he'll take offense, is that why you keep putting off asking him? He's a sailor; no sailor I've ever met could turn down the offer of captaining a ship! Just because he's Galmanian doesn't mean that he thinks differently from us."

"I know, Susan, I just don't know if I should go now. I don't feel like sailing to the edge of the world and leaving you and Rilian. It's been barely a year since the war with Calormen. I don't want to leave all the responsibilities of rebuilding Narnia upon your shoulders."

"Darling, you worry too much; Cair Paravel is nearly half finished and Trumpkin has already told you he's tired of you coming around worrying over minor things. Calormen pays _us_ tribute, I don't think they want a repeat of the beginning of last year, I'm fine, Rilian's fine, there's not all that much to worry about– and who said I'm staying?" she finished, raising a dark eyebrow and looking over at him, waiting for a reply.

"I didn't think you'd be going."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because I didn't think you'd want to; sailing across the sea for a year doesn't sound like something that would interest you."

"Me? I've just been through a war; danger, excitement, why would I not want to sail the Eastern Ocean? I thought you were merely going to find out what happened to the lords, not go on another wild adventure. Or is that the reason you don't want me to come?"

"Susan, you, of all people, should know that everything here in Narnia becomes an adventure, or, sudden death," Caspian said reasonably.

"I'm your wife; I will not let you go off sailing a sea filled with mermaids and magic! No, I don't care what you say, I will not stay here. Just because I'm female doesn't mean that I'm weak. You of all people should know that," Susan retorted, straightening her five feet six inches and glaring up at him. He smiled.

"You're more than I know how to deal with. How did your brothers manage? Fine, you may come, _perhaps."_ She looked at him uncertainly for a moment before slowly smiling as well.

"I knew you wouldn't say no. If you had– well, I'd think of something," Susan replied, pretending to look thoughtful. He just laughed and put his arm around her waist.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Rilian, come to Mother! Come here little one," Susan called from where she sat on the floor. The baby looked up at the sound of her voice before crawling over to his mother.

"You know mother loves you? Yes she does," Susan murmured quietly, touching her forehead to her little boy's. The baby giggled and tugged slightly on her hair as it fell over her shoulder. She smiled. "You enjoy playing with mummy's hair? Well, you're rather like your father in that respect." She brushed her son's black hair back from his face with her fingertips. He cooed softly while looking up at her, staring back at her with eyes as blue as her own.

"My sweet little boy," she whispered. With all the love of a mother she hoped nothing unfortunate would ever befall him as it had her niece and nephews.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Susan brushed her hair out slowly; there was to be a ball tonight celebrating the first year of peace and also to celebrate the fourth year of a freed Narnia. She put down her brush and stared off into the mirror, not really looking at her reflection. It would be coming on four years since she'd last seen her siblings. She wondered how they were and how much time had passed back in their world. She wondered how Lucy was.

"What do you find so sad?" Caspian asked upon entering the room, having come to look for her.

"Nothing– I'm just thinking of my brothers and sister. I hope they're all right." She proceeded to twist her hair up into a style from the Golden Age; she really fancied such styles more more, and besides, they were ingrained into her memory.

"I know what you mean." He didn't mention Amalia or Serene, and he didn't have to, both knew who they were talking about; names weren't needed.

"Yes. Now, what is it you've come looking for me about?" Susan asked, trying to brighten the setting.

"The guests are arriving; I can't welcome them without my queen," he admitted with a smile.

"I know, I'm running just a bit behind schedule; Rilian didn't want to go down for his nap. He is getting so stubborn; I wonder who he gets it from?" Susan looked at him in the mirror.

"You're not implying he ha inherited such a trait from me? Because, if I recollect correctly, you don't give in so easily on many subjects either."

Susan laughed. Standing, she came and stood by his side, slipping her arm through his. "Our guests are waiting."

"See, you refuse to admit! Now who's stubborn?" he insisted as they walked down the stairs.

"And you refuse to let the subject drop," Susan pointed out.

"Well then, I believe we could safely say he's received this trait from the both of us." Caspian smiled as they reached the final step, clearly bent on proving his point.

"Fine, you're right, but for now, let's welcome our subjects; we'll argue after they depart." Both laughed as they walked down the hall.

* * *

**A/N:**

**I know this is short, only 2000+ words, but, well, the first chapter is always the shortest. **

**A few things need some explanation. **

**Remember the part where Lucy is thinking about Edmund and how Eustace is provoking him, and it mentions that Edmund is the king who gives no thought to keeping hostages, or his opponent's pain, and will fight to the death?**

**Well, I don't know if that's necessarily true, but I also don't know if it's **_**un**_**_true._ In the _Prince Caspian_ film, when Peter is challenging Miraz and the man asks for a respite, Edmund shouts to him: "Now is not the time for chivalry, Peter!" Meaning that, if it were Edmund fighting, he would've just killed the man. **

**When it comes down to it, I believe Edmund doesn't give a damn about the people he fights. He retains an impersonal attitude toward them, treating the enemy as merely things instead of people. Something worth having as a king, but in England, where he's just an average person, it's something that could be looked upon as extremely unusual. **

**I liked writing a scene where Susan interacts with Rilian, I thought that it would bring something different to her character in these books; it also helps me look at her as a more motherly, adult character, not the young lady I picture from the movies (using movie-verse, she's nineteen or twenty ,by-the-way).**

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**Well, since I've moved on to the next story, I'll answer your review for Star Crossed on here. **

**I'm glad you noticed the way Edmund fights! I've always been very interested in that, noticing it in all the movies. **

**I'm glad you're now all right with the way I ended the first story. I was thinking the same thing about Daniel as well. So, I made the extremely difficult decision to only bring Serene back in the end o all my deliberations. I decided not to bring him back because of the very reason you mentioned, so I guess it's worked out fine after all. **

**I know the grey hair was a rather big letdown, but I remembered when I started writing it, how Susan didn't fight in many battles, and she probably wouldn't have received it from being in battle. **

**The way she got that scar is a lot less funny than the way she told it, I was thinking of doing a one-shot to fully understand how she acquired it. I think it would help my readers and it would also give a bit of insight as to why she cares about cosmetics and all that stuff in the later books; the reason she stops believing I guess you could say. **

**I'm pretty positive all the Stars, including Liliandil, will have a large part in this story, but I'll just have to see. . . **

* * *

**MCH: **

**I've heard that somewhere, the bit you mentioned about C.S. Lewis said about Susan. I'm glad you enjoy these altered Chronicles of Narnia!**

* * *

**Let the Journey begin. . .**

**WH**


	2. A Great Journey Begins

**Chapter Two: A Great Journey Begins. **

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Cambridge England ~ **

"Come on, Ed!" Lucy called. He sighed as he locked the door of the house behind him. Why they had to get up at seven in the morning just to get groceries didn't make any sense to him. He slipped the metal key into his pocket as he thought about how much he wished he could be in Narnia. Well, at least if he couldn't fight wars in Narnia, perhaps he could fight the war here in England. All it would take was the ration card of his aunt's, which he had, twisting his name and age a bit, and hoping Lucy wouldn't find him fast enough.

He was sick of being treated like a child– a boy who was too young to know anything! It frustrated him when at the dinner table Eustace and Harold would talk about the war, then he would point out a reason that the entire situation could've been avoided, and they would stare at him as if he were the village idiot; all because his point made sense. He was tired of it; he wanted to be treated like the adult he had been.

At first, when he was going over the idea in his head, he wished Peter was there to tell him not to go through with it, but then he resolved that in the end every king has to make his decisions alone. Even if they were petty and rather messily concocted.

Lucy smiled fleetingly at him as they got on the bikes they had been loaned by Uncle Harold. She was the only one, it seemed, who never became darkened by the anguish of the comings and leavings. Arriving at the store, he shopped with her until almost the end, telling her as he walked away that there was something he wanted to do. She sighed as she watched him leave.

"Like Peter you wish for things that cannot be. These are the times when I question your reasons of bringing them into Narnia to rule, only to pull them away again, Aslan," Lucy whispered sadly as she went back to deciding which brand of canned corn she wanted.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Edmund stood in the line for recruits at the nearby hospital, wondering now if this was really a bright idea in the first place; before he could ponder the though further, his name was called. He managed to make his way through everything, however, when it came to the name, he received a questioning stare; but the problem of typographical errors was not uncommon. The sergeant signing up the young men knew this for a fact, as did Edmund.

"It's supposed to be 'Albert A. Scrubb'," he explained carefully, playing on meeting the man's eyes– which usually meant a person wasn't lying. Sadly– well, not _quite_ so sadly in his opinion, Edmund had learned from his time as a monarch how to lie artfully while meeting another person's gaze. It was a useful accomplishment when dealing with prisoners or ruling over a decision in court. He preferred to call it bluffing, not lying. Lying was a crude word for mere slight of the tongue.

"Edmund, you're _supposed_ to be helping me with the groceries." Lucy had just _known_ he was going to do something like this; Peter had talked of doing the very same thing once or twice when he was still staying with them.

Edmund ignored the snide remarks and needling's as he walked past the other men waiting to sign. _"If only you knew what war is really like. When you get there, you'll see that what you thought it was isn't that at all." _ The thought pacified him somewhat, keeping him from turning around and beating some of them over the head as they well deserved. It was times like these that were most trying.

Lucy, he found, was surprisingly quiet as they walked back to their bikes. She didn't reprimand like Susan would've, and she didn't lecture, like he knew Peter would've. He decided then that it couldn't hurt to vent his feeling on someone who actually understood them.

"He barely had two years on me! I'm a King; I've fought wars, led armies!" Edmund exclaimed in annoyance, remembering what Peter had told him.

Lucy was sympathetic, knowing exactly what he felt and just how hard it was for him. "Not in this world," she stated obviously.

"I know; instead I'm stuck here, having to do battle with Eustace Clarence Scrubb– if ever he deserved a name."

The reason Lucy had been so quiet was because of the question she'd had on her mind, about whether or not she was pretty or plain. She missed Susan, and wished the older girl was there to tell her she was beautiful. As Edmund complained, she watched a rather nice-looking soldier flirt with a girl who appeared to be about the age Susan would've been had she returned to England instead of staying in Narnia. The unknown girl pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear as she gave the young man her full attention. Lucy subconsciously did the same, a little expression crossing her face which seemed suspiciously like longing.

Edmund suddenly realized that his sister was ignoring everything he'd just asked her. "What're you staring at?" he asked, turning to look. She jumped and spoke louder than necessary, causing him to jump as well and look back at her.

"Nothing, come on then!" she exclaimed, mustering a fake cheerfulness even Edmund could see through. He looked behind him as they walked away, but the soldier and the young lady had already gone, so he shrugged and put it from his mind.

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

"Oh, Susan, it's truly wonderful to see you again!" The auburn-haired young woman said, smiling as she took the offered hand. The raven-haired queen smiled back at the woman, nodding to the lady's husband before replying.

"Lyra, it _is_ wonderful to hear a familiar voice after so many diplomats and their wives." A twinkle in Susan's eye as the other woman nodded knowingly.

"Yes, well, there are many more behind us, so we'll move out of their way and talk with you later in the ballroom," Durken declared with a laugh, leading his wife away.

After they had gone, Susan and Caspian welcomed several other Narnians and Telmarines before a bright glow from the entrance hall, and several masculine laughs mixing with a feminine one, drifted down to them. Everyone who didn't know the five Stars of Greenwood knew them now. Several Telmarine nobility sniffed distastefully as they walked past.

After the war with Calormen and Verius, Aslan had asked them if they still desired to become true Stars. Durken had politely refused, saying he'd rather give up the night sky to marry Lyra, as his father had done for his mother. But the others, Moriah, Erikk, Arran, Gavan and Zephyr, had readily accepted, having wanted that more than anything in their lives– besides their freedom.

Moriah walked between her brothers, her hair longer than ever, having grown past her waist some time ago. She laughed again, twirling and waving her hands in the air as they discussed something, beams of light shooting around the room. Gavan had recently turned sixteen, and he was taller now than his sister. Zephyr was still the quietest one, but you wouldn't think it to have seen him then, laughing as he was. Susan thought, after she'd gotten to know him, that he reminded her of Edmund.

Erikk brushed at his clothes and the stardust that drifted off onto the floor sparkled; a little Telmarine girl bent to touch it, but her mother nervously jerked her away, still suspicious of Narnian magic. Erikk, hearing the child cry, turned and walked back. Smiling kindly, he bent down to her level and held out his hand. The sparkling dust glittered in his palm, and the little girl forgot why she was crying and giggled happily. Standing, he sprinkled it down on her. She laughed brightly as it landed on her hair and skirt. He nodded to the mother before rejoining his watching siblings.

Arran, the rogue of the group, who looked to be more of a pirate than sailor-Star, put his arm around Erikk's shoulders, his other hand resting lightly on his sword hilt. He said something to his younger brother, but because of the noise from people talking about them, it was unintelligible. Their easy attitudes and silver, grey and white Narnian clothes made them seem slightly out of place. Even for all the changes in four years, Telmar was still a protocol and etiquette country, very much unlike Narnia had been.

"Caspian, Susan! How good it is to see you again! We decided to forgo our place in the night sky tonight to attend this gala, as we had some part in the Calormen war, even if we did start off as traitors," Arran said, reaching for Caspian's offered hand.

"Of course, you have every right; though, Arran, try not to scare my Telmarine subjects; they continue to stare at all of you rather oddly," Caspian remarked after they shook hands.

"My King, do you think _I_ would be anything but a gentleman?" Arran queried, pretending to look confounded.

_"Yes!"_ his siblings shouted, laughing.

"What are you implying? Are you saying that I have a disregarded for others?" he inquired of them, feigning offence.

"Yes, within reason," Gavan replied, grinning.

"We'll have to settle this where, certain others, aren't present," Arran said, motioning to the nobility standing around.

"Surely, brother, you can wait to avenge your honor until we leave this place?" Moriah asked, looking at him with what could be called shock, except for the fact that she couldn't cease her smiling.

"I can wait, if I _must_. Caspian, Susan," Arran said, nodding as they left the King and Queen and entered the ballroom. The two monarchs looked at one another and laughed; those Stars could brighten everything, including a person's spirit.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"So, what sort of venture across the high seas are you setting out to do?" Durken asked, looking at Caspian.

"I'm going to see why the Lone Islands haven't been giving any acknowledgment that Narnia is once again under Narnian rule, and so are they. Susan and I have begun to grow concerned over the silence. She says this sort of thing never happened in her time. I also want to find out what happened to seven Lords, friends of my Father's, who set sail before Miraz crowned himself."

"So, King Caspian is going to sail the Eastern Ocean? Would you need any sailors by chance?" Arran asked, grinning. He was a fine sailor, and there were not many who did not know it in Cair Paravel– at least, of the Narnians.

"If you're going to let him come along, bring me as well, I think I'd rather like to sail the ocean, besides, I'm an excellent navigator. And, you'll need someone to keep this one in check," Zephyr said calmly, though his eyes took on a new interest in the conversation.

"I don't see why you can't. I must confess: besides my Captain – Drinian – and his eight men, I haven't any other sailors."

"I'd go, but I don't want to leave Lyra. Forgive me, Caspian, but this venture I must step back from," Durken declared, smiling slightly.

Suddenly a thought hit Caspian; besides Trumpkin, he had really no other person to supervise things here why he was away. And if Durken and Lyra wouldn't mind, they would be perfect to round out matters.

"Durken, would you consider it too much of me to ask you to keep an eye on things here why Susan and I are away?" he asked abruptly, looking at the other man.

"Well, I don't see why I can't. Consider it my penance for being a traitor," he acquiesced, looking away. The memory of what he'd done still haunted him often, even though both Caspian and Susan had told him it was forgiven.

"We were all traitors, brother, not just you; stop carrying the burden of that. It was not of our choice," Gavan said gravely as his brothers nodded.

"I know, Gavan, but it is a struggle to let the memories go. It is harder to forget when one still carries the scars," Durken replied, looking at his brother.

"I know. We _all_ know. And we're all in this together," Gavan answered, placing his hand on his oldest brother's shoulder. "When did you get so old, Gavan?" he asked, grinning, his morose countenance vanishing. The men laughed; the pain of their scarred and broken past was put behind them for a little while more.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"It is so nice to see you again, Susan," Moriah said, looking over at the queen.

"Yes, how are you Moriah, are you enjoying gracing the skies?" Susan asked kindly.

"Yes, ever so much, it is the best thing in the world!" She smiled happily.

"How is the little prince?" Lyra asked, looking at Susan with interest. Susan laughed, glancing over to where Caspian was standing before replying.

"Growing faster than I want him to, and he's so much like his father. I don't know what I'm going to do as he gets older!"

"I've told Durken, that, if we have a girl, he's not to spoil her, but I don't think he understands. Son or daughter, I believe he'll spoil both," Lyra said, placing her hand lightly over her stomach.

"I didn't know you were expecting! Excuse me, ladies, but I must go question my brother on his reasons for not notifying me of this news!" Moriah declared, narrowing her eyes at her eldest brother's figure before walking away. The older women watched with bemused smiles as she walked up to Durken.

"I heard that you're going with Caspian. Is that true?" Lyra asked, looking over at her companion.

"Yes. I've told him I'm not going to let him sail an ocean filled with unknown magic, mermaids, and who knows what else."

"You're bringing Rilian?"

"I'm not going to leave him; he's barely a year old, and besides, this can't really be all that dangerous. The Lone Islands have never been hostile, though the silence worries me some. But I believe they just haven't heard any news from Narnia yet," Susan said, scanning the large room as they talked.

"Well, may Aslan protect you on your journey then," Lyra replied before she moved off, Susan smiled and gave her her thanks for the kind words as she too took her leave to mingle with the other guests; a queen could not monopolize only one guest, it was not proper.

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~Galmanian Port~**

Susan hugged the Duke's daughter before she walked up the gangway with the rest of the Narnians. They'd stayed in Galma for a week, as the Duke of Galma had wanted to throw a banquet and tournament in honor of their arrival. Holding Rilian as she stood next to Caspian, she glanced over at him as she spoke, "I think you might have married her had I gone back, it would've pleased her father."

He looked over at her and smiled, shaking his head slightly as he responded, "No, no. I wouldn't have. I'm quite sure." After so saying, he walked to the helm to discuss their course with Drinian, and she stared back at the port as the ship glided farther away from Galma. Rilian fussed, distracting her out of her thoughts.

"I think someone's quite ready for their nap," she murmured, walking away herself.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"How long does Drinian expect we'll have to keep rowing like this before we reach Terebinthia?" Susan asked as she approached Caspian, concern marring her features.

"As long as we're becalmed, I suppose," Caspian responded, looking down at the charts again. Susan moved to stand next to him.

"What are you studying?" She asked, trying to guess at what he was looking at.

"This." As he spoke he motioned to the blank edges of the map, past the Lone Islands, further east. "You don't really think there could be anything out there do you? I know that the Lone Islanders couldn't tell us anything about that blank area in my day. Do you think they might know now?" She queried, meeting his gaze as she spoke.

"I don't know. But you -" he broke off as the door opened and Reepicheep entered.

"Sire, Terebinthia is on the horizon. Drinian wishes to know your orders!" He looked from one to the other with his eager brown eyes, waiting for a response.

"I'm coming," Caspian said, moving to follow Reepicheep back to the helm. After he'd left, Susan took a closer look at the charts and maps. The blank edges loomed; there seemed to be more unknown waters than known. She only hoped Caspian wasn't like Peter, wanting to sail to the ends of the earth, hoping to find…what exactly? It was beyond her. She was distracted from her thoughts by shouting from the deck.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Ahoy there, ship of Narnia!" The sailor on board the approaching vessel shouted from the mast. He slid down the rigging and dashed to his captain's cabin. An older man emerged following him.

"Ahoy ship of Terebinthia!" Drinian called back; leaving the helm in the hands of his Minotaur first mate, he walked to the railing, subtly gesturing for Caspian to follow.

"I'm Captain Nimrrck, Admiral of King Kilendorr's navy. I insist you must turn back! Port Vern and most of Terebinthia is possessor of Black Death! This is not friendly advice; if you refuse to heed our warnings, we shall be forced to remove you by other means." Captain Nimrrck's sailors gathered around him, the threat intended to be made more meaningful by their weapons and grim expressions.

Drinian looked over at Caspian, waiting for him to reply. As king, it was his right. "Is there no way for me to obtain more water, and rest for myself and my men? We have been rowing without wind or headway for the past two days," Caspian stated, motioning to the limp sail of the ship.

"Sir, I understand, and know no discourtesy when I ask, your name, please?" The Admiral looked over the ship critically; he was beginning to wonder if they weren't pirates, the way everyone seemed treated as equal aboard the Narnian ship.

"Caspian, king of Narnia, and this is my Captain, Drinian. We're sailing for the Lone Islands."

"My deepest apologies, your Majesty. My men and I were beginning to become under the opinion that you were perhaps pirates of some nature. Clearly we are wrong in that assumption."

"Clearly," Caspian said, the coldness in his voice barely detectable.

"For to make amends, we can tell you of a place to water and rest, until Aslan sees fit to return the wind to you."

"That would make us most grateful to you," Caspian replied.

"Around the southern-most side of Terebinthia there is a small cove; useless for the large warships of this country, but perhaps better suited for a ship merely trying to regain lost time," Nimrrck said, nodding his head slightly in a form of respect before shouting to his men in Terebinthian to turn the ship around. Drinian left the railing to do the same.

"I was beginning to think that he wouldn't let us go for a moment," Gavan said, walking up. He had also decided to come, since good sailors in Narnia were hard to find so early in the deliverance, and also because of the fact that he and Zephyr were trying to keep a family secret well in check.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Caspian, if we don't get a good wind soon we might as well head back to Narnia, before my men forget they are sailors and think they're daisy-chain makers!" Drinian declared in exasperation, turning to look at his men lying under the trees, leaning against rocks, staring blankly out at sea, plucking grass, or, as Drinian so aptly said, creating daisy chains.

Caspian sighed, nodding in agreement. "Yes, if by noon tomorrow there is no sign of a good headwind, we'll return to Narnia. Agreed?"

"Agreed, and, Caspian? There is always next year. I think Narnia will be peaceful for many years to come." Drinian walked out after he finished, leaving Caspian with his thoughts.

Susan came in, a smile on her face and a cheerfulness about her. "Why do you seem so depressed? Aslan will bring the wind back, you'll see. Come, get off this bloody boat and enjoy the shore for the first time in days! You really worry too much, you know," she said, placing her hand over his on the table.

"I suppose you're right. I can't help but worry, though."

"I know I'm right, I'm always right!" she said, grinning mischievously.

"That, that I doubt indeed!" he replied with a smile.

"Yes, well, there's nothing you can do about it." She laughed, moving away.

"I don't know about that either," he said, walking out of the cabin after her.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Caspian, what if I told you that, well, the wind was back?" Arran grinned.

"I wouldn't believe you," he replied with a smile. Arran was a liar as much as he was handsome. And many ladies gossiped that he was _very_ handsome.

"Well, it's true, the wind is back; we can move out!" Arran shouted, standing as he did so. The others looked at him in disbelief. Drinian was the first to stand and walk to the shore, looking at the turn of the tide. He returned, unable to keep the amused, exhilarated smile off his face.

"He's not lying, the wind is indeed back, coming from a southeast direction. With it we can get far enough out to sea to change routes to the Lone Islands. And we can finally leave these doldrums," he muttered, walking back to the ship.

The sailors eagerly broke camp and returned to the ship, ready to set sail. Daisy-chains weren't exactly a paying craft to hone. After three days of running before a swift, warm wind, the lookout sighted another ship on the horizon.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Caspian, Drinian, a ship; she bears no flag! What do we do, for she's fast approaching!" the sailor exclaimed after sliding down the rigging.

Suddenly Arran came up, lightly pushing the concerned young man away. "Let her come, perhaps she means no harm," he said, smiling slightly, staring off at the ship as she came closer to view.

"Why, Arran?" Caspian asked, but before he could reply, Gavan and Zephyr came up as well.

"You can't be serious Arran! Don't you know who you're standing next to?" Gavan shouted angrily.

"Yes, I want to see what he'll, excuse me, they'll, say," he answered, nodding to Susan and Reep as they joined them as well.

"You're possessed; some would call you mad, Arran!" Zephyr said, his voice rising as he spoke to his brother.

"Very well. Let it be said, I care not," Arran replied, walking away.

"What's going on?" Caspian asked, sharing looks with Susan, Drinian, and Reep. Gavan and Zephyr sighed. "You will see; you'll see." Was all they said, before they, too, moved out of sight.

As the ship came closer, it was apparent that she was a pirate. Drinian ordered the men to be ready with arms in case they meant to board. As she drew to the portside, heavily armed, ready for a fight, Arran came out on deck, holding his arms up; he motioned for the Narnian crew to lower their weapons. He jumped onto the railing, grabbing a halyard rope, he sliced it with his dagger and the wind picked up the loose bit of sail and tossed him, still holding the rope, onto the foredeck of the pirate vessel, the_ Sea Serpent._ The men of the ship gathered around him, and he spoke in a language foreign to the Narnians before coming back onboard the Narnian ship, in the like manner he had left it in. The other vessel drew off, about twenty paces away, waiting.

Standing on the Foredeck of the _Dawn_ _Treader_, Arran looked up at Caspian and Drinian, smiling slightly, before proceeding to join them by the helm. Blocking his path from Caspian and Drinian stood Reepicheep, blade drawn, eyes blazing angrily. "Are you meaning to say you captain that crew of motley dogs? You're saying you're a _pirate_?"

Arran smiled indulgently, coldness in his voice as he replied, "Yes, does that bother you?" He moved past the stunned Mouse, towards an equally stunned Drinian, Caspian, and Susan. Leaning nonchalantly against the railing, he looked at them with amusement. "Well, stop staring; what are you going to say?"

"Arran, I should order Drinian to turn back and return to Narnia to see you hang!" Caspian said, the wrath in his tone not lost to the other man.

"Very well, but, I'll warn you, my crew will kill every one of you. They don't particularly like to see me threatened." Arran looked up at them and grinned suddenly.

"I have an idea! You leave me alone, and in exchange, I won't attack Narnian ships– once they set to water. Or, I could just kill you now and take your ship, though it's rather useless as a pirating vessel, and that's rather poor sport on my part. Whichever you choose, you have all the time in the world to decide," he mocked, knowing very well they didn't.

"Arran! Get that ship out of here! That's an order! You know Father said the only way he lets you do this is because you promised him you wouldn't hunt Narnian ships. You can either leave with that sea wolf or stay here peacefully!" Gavan shouted, looking at his brother, hatred and anger unmistakable. Zephyr looked at Arran with disappointment, his judgment silence instead of angry threats.

"Very well, I'll send her off, as long as it returns you to your more, pleasant state of mind, brothers," he answered calmly. Taking a bow from a stunned sailor, he wrote on some parchment that Gavan gave him. Wrapping it around the shaft of the arrow, he notched and fired it over to the other ship. Dropping the bow, he stared across and waited for his first mate to give the signal that he'd received the message. The man shouted to the crew, and the ship soon drew out of sight. Arran watched it go with a fond expression.

Turning, he found he was looking into Drinian's brown eyes. "Is there a problem?" he asked, easing away from the angry Captain. "I should think so! How can I trust you, a pirate? Men like you aren't bound by words, yo–" he was cut off by Arran.

"No, we're bound by the sea, and all _her_ boundaries; I keep my promises just as you guide this ship! I may not tell the truth a great deal of the time, but you trust me when I tell you that I will not _ever_ break my word. When it comes to the sea, I never go back on it; it is law, and it is _final_ out here! I'm not Verius," he shouted, the hurt carried through to the older man. Arran turned and stared back over the horizon, wondering if perhaps he should've left with his men.

Drinian straightened, looking over uneasily at Caspian and Susan. They were just as stunned as he; words could not measure the depth of it. They had never heard Arran speak so strongly about something. If that was the force he carried with him when he led his men, then perhaps they could trust him.

"I am not Verius. I'm not! This is my freedom from him; this is my way out. Please, try to understand that," Arran whispered, walking toward the stairs.

"Arran, wait, perhaps we could try this again?" Drinian asked. As a man of the sea, he knew what it meant to love it, to feel a part of it, and so, he was willing to take Arran's word, odd as this situation was.

"We know you're not like Verius, but, you are like nothing we've ever met," Susan said kindly, smiling when he turned around. He grinned. Drinian walked up and held out his hand.

"You know, though I am a man of my word, shaking hands is rather beyond promises. Liars shake hands, black marketeers shake hands, scoundrels and thugs; they all do that as well. Your word matters more to me," Arran said, smiling. He wasn't stupid; plenty of men had shaken his hand and then tried to capture him for a reward, or just kill him because they hated him.

"Very well, I'll trust you, if this is all right with King Caspian." Drinian looked over at his friend and king.

"Arran, you're not going to betray us? You say you're not like Verius, but this incident has me wondering," Caspian asked, looking at the Star with caution.

"I'd die first before I ever lowered myself to betraying the King of Narnia," Arran swore, meeting Caspian's gaze.

"Very well, I have no other choice but to trust you then," he said, a smile slowly coming over his face.

"Well and good." Arran left the helm.

"What do we do about this strange turn of events?" Caspian asked, looking at his wife and his captain.

"I say we follow that ship and hang every mother's son of them! How can you trust him? He's a pirate!" Reepicheep spoke up loudly, looking around at the group of people angrily.

"He keeps his word. He's not lying, we can testify to that as his brothers. He values his word above everything; he doesn't ever go back on it," Zephyr said.

"That's why he has so many loyal followers." Gavan grinned down at the Mouse.

"It still remains to be seen. I'm going to be watching him very carefully," Reepicheep replied, scurrying off.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"An eventful day," Susan remarked, walking to the railing, staring at the sunset.

"Yes, but I suppose it doesn't matter. Arran has never given us cause to distrust him, except all the times he's lied. But I can't see his reason for telling us he's a pirate," Caspian answered, putting his arm around her waist and bringing her closer.

"I think he trusts you a great deal, and would like to have everything out on the table. He wants you to be able to trust him in all aspects of his life," Susan said softly, resting her head on his shoulder as she spoke.

"Hmm. That could be, perhaps." They stood there until the last rays of the sun had left the sky, wondering what the next day would bring.

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Cambridge England &amp; Narnia ~**

"We're home! I tried to find some carrots for supper, but all they had were turnips again, Uncle Harold. Uncle Harold?" Lucy looked at the newspaper behind which her uncle hid with disdain. The Scrubbs treated her and Edmund as if they were servants. She hated it, but she said nothing; she could valiantly endure their meanness.

However, Edmund had suffered enough of the subtle jabs at their upbringing and the silent determination that the Pevensies of Finchley – excluding poor John, who had been misguided by Helen's wiles – were all a strange, lower-class group of ill-bred individuals. But Edmund Pevensie's retaliation at his uncle was rather immature for a monarch of Narnia. Monarchs, no matter how fed-up they were, did not grimace at people with exaggerated facial expressions.

"Father, Edmund's making faces at you!"

Edmund turned angrily to where Eustace was sneaking down the stairs; he felt like he was again in the War of Deliverance with Caspian, except everyone coming at him from every side didn't have weapons, they were using their words, something Edmund was not altogether unfamiliar with, only, none of his retorts would suffice here as they had in Narnia.

He walked over to his cousin skulking on the stairs behind the bannister, intending to tell the brat just how much he hated him, but Eustace fell as if he'd already injured him in some way and shouted out.

"Father he's going to hit me!"

Edmund backed away, but stared at his cousin with barely concealed contempt.

"_For the love of Narnia! Aslan, can't you just make the boy vanish into dust or something?"_ Edmund thought in quiet disgust, leveling a scowl on the younger boy.

Lucy, meanwhile, had been going through the mail on the kitchen table and discovered a letter addressed to both her and Edmund.

"Edmund, a letter– it's from Mother!" She held it aloft, as if that could brighten the mood. Edmund hoped it contained the news of their early arrival or something else in the good-news department. Going to stay with Polly instead, perhaps.

"Come on, Ed, let's go read it!" he exclaimed, removing her hat and gloves.

**{~~~~~~}**

"_Dear Lucy, how are you and Edmund? America is wonderful, how I wish you three could be with Father and I! It is very refreshing and new, after seeing our war-torn England. _

_How is Peter, have you heard from him or the Professor? I hope he's thinking hard on his studies and not on America and joining the army. I know he's nineteen and the correct age to join, but I'd rather not have two of my men in battle. Heavens, your Father is enough! I would never cease to worry about both if that were to be allowed. _

_It was odd your brother's reaction to my refusal. _

_Well, never mind that; one shouldn't dwell on the indecipherable, as your Father says. _

_It's a terrible pity that Professor Kirke lost such a great deal of money or I'd have allowed him to take all of you in while we've been away. He so wanted you to come and stay with him, but I strictly told him "no." Just because he's terribly fond of you doesn't give him cause to be squeezed into that tiny cottage of his with all of you for who-knows-how-long! _

_I hope you shan't mind another few months in Cambridge, but it seems as if the Germans have made the crossing difficult right now and Father and I won't be able to arrive on the date we planned. _

_Send all my love on to everyone! I dearly hope you aren't having too badly a time with Aunt Alberta and Uncle Harold; they can be a bit "New Fashioned" at times. How's Ed getting along with Eustace? I know he's sixteen and Eustace is only twelve and a half, but I had hoped that some of Ed's kindness would rub off on the boy!_

_Well, my dear Lucie-Lou, I hope this letter finds you and Edmund happy and content, _

_Lovingly, Your Mother and Father." _

**{~~~~~~}**

"Another few months– how will we survive?" Lucy said, looking around in dismay.

"At least you've got your own room; I'm stuck in with mullet mouth. As Peter so aptly named him," Edmund groused, picking up the letter Lucy had dropped, wanting to read the sentence which would doom them to another internment in the Scrubb's secret POW camp.

"How lucky Peter and Susan are, off doing interesting things no doubt. Susan in Narnia, Peter with Digory," Lucy mused, getting up from her bed and looking at herself in the small mirror next to it.

"Well, they're the oldest and we're the youngest– we don't matter as much," Edmund muttered, falling crosswise onto his sister's bed.

"You know, in this picture it almost looks as if the water's actually moving." Before Edmund could reply, the most annoying person currently in their life walked through the bedroom door. Eustace Clarence Scrubb.

"Still playing your old game?"

Eustace had been listening outside the door and now walked grinning into the room. He had managed to hear them all talking about Narnia when Peter had been there, and now he loved teasing them about it. Eustace, of course, thought they were making it all up. As he was far too stupid to make anything up, let alone a whole country, he didn't approve of it.

"I'm trying to think of a limerick," the blonde boy declared nonchalantly. "Listen to this:

"_There once were two orphans who wasted their time_

_Believing in Narnian nursery rhymes_."

"Please let me hit him!" Edmund exclaimed in a threatening tone, rising from the bed and advancing menacingly toward the young boy. Lucy just put her hand on his arm, reminding him that they were a king and queen; they could act royally, even though things were difficult here.

If Eustace had been like any boy, he would've done one of two things: cleared out or flared up. But, he wasn't like most boys, so instead he just stood there, enjoying their anger and the fact that they knew they could do nothing to him.

"Do you like that picture?" he asked, glancing over at the item in question hanging above the small white mantle, an air about him Edmund strongly disliked, especially since it was being directed towards his sister.

"Yes, I do," Lucy replied.

"It's a rotten picture."

"You won't see it from the other side of the door," Edmund muttered in reply, rolling his eyes in aggravation.

"It's my house, I'll go where I please; you're just guests."

"I haven't seen you lift a finger since we've been here. You know, I've a mind to tell Aunt Alberta it was _you_ who stole her sweets," Edmund declared, closing the door and cutting off Eustace's escape.

"Liar, I did no such thing!"

Edmund!"

"I found them under your bed, and you know what, I licked every one!"

"Ed_mund!_"

"Ugh! I'm infected with you!" Eustace cried out.

While the boys had been fighting, Lucy had gone to inspect the painting closely, wondering why Eustace and his mother seemed to see it in such an unfavorable light. The one thing revealed to her about it was the fact that the water _was_ moving, it hadn't been a trick of her eyes. She shouted for Edmund, but it wasn't until the spray and salty wind actually hit him that he paid any attention to her cries. He smiled at her, when they're eyes met, knowing exactly what this meant, and both completely forgot Eustace in the joy of the moment. But they quickly were forced to remember him when he started screaming.

"Stop it or I'll tell mother!" he shouted, the fear obvious in his voice.

"Fine I'll just smash the rotten thing!" he declared over the din of wind and wave.

"Eustace, no! Stop– don't!" They both cried as he pulled the picture from the wall. But as they fought to keep him away, the room filled with water, and they found that unless they swam to the top, they would most likely drown. Lucy kicked off her shoes as she swam, knowing that they would only worsen her cause. Gasping as she arrived at the surface, she looked around; she was horrified to notice that the ship in the picture was bearing down upon them; Edmund would be drowned by it if he didn't swim.

"Edmund, Eustace, _swim!_ Now, hurry!" she shouted, moving out of the way as she did so. All three could hear the groan of her timbers as the ship arched up behind them.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Captain, men overboard!" The lookout shouted from his perch, pointing to a spot in the water nearly directly in front of the ship. Drinian turned to Caspian with a confused expression. These people had appeared out of nowhere. Caspian ran to the railing with Arran and Gavan.

"What should we do?" Arran asked, looking worriedly at Caspian and his brother.

"I think the only thing to do is to rescue them, and ask questions later," Gavan stated obviously.

"Fine; Drinian, we're going to go rescue whoever these strangers may be!" Caspian shouted to the Captain.

"Keep her steady now; we don't want to be run over as well," Arran joked weakly, before he dived into the ocean. Why they were risking their lives for unknown people swimming in the Eastern Ocean was beyond him.

* * *

**A/N:**

**What do you think? Yes, I know I brought the Stars back! I honestly think that they're better in this one than in the first story. Yes, Arran is a pirate; this has nothing to do with my love of POTC or pirates in general (I'm not joking).**

**The reason I did that is, well, (I've got hints all over the place that he acts like one) because in the book _Voyage of the Dawn Treader_ Caspian tells Edmund and Lucy after they arrive that they were nearly overhauled by pirates, and Reep actually did say he thought they should've followed the ship and "hung every mother's son of them."**

**I like the idea that Arran uses this as an escape from Lord Verius. I also like the idea that he's a man of his word, because that makes him a character to watch out for; now you'll be wanting to make sure he keeps his promises. Also he _is_ a liar, no joke there.**

* * *

**But Enough about Arran. As (I hope) you can tell, I'm going to try to combine the plot of the book and the plot of the movie, blending them into one plotline, with many branching subplots. I'll make the green mist a subplot that goes somewhere, unlike the movie (green mist wasn't in the book). I think you'll be mightily pleased with my work! **

**_Now, WH, you must type it out!_ **

**Ugh, must I really? **

**_Yes, they want to read it too!_ **

**Fine, fine! (sigh of defeat) **

**Just a preview of the conversation that is ongoing in my mind about writing _anything. _I just wish I could think it and it would appear onto the word processor! (don't you?)**

**I liked writing that part when Susan and Caspian are talking as they sail from Galma, because in the books that part is utterly humorous! I also like the idea of playing with plots that happened. I love the possibilities of changing certain parts! This is so much fun! **

**{I promise a huge disclaimer at the end of this story, again} **

**I enjoyed writing Edmund's little adventure! I like the idea of him being the only young man in that room who actually _knows_ what war and death looks like firsthand. He was the only one of all those sign-up boys who actually knows and has _experienced_ war. And he was a mere child the first time! Mostly I was just playing with facts there, though. **

**I know I'm forgetting a bunch of stuff I wanted to tell you guys, but I'll remember before I go to bed tonight and just be berating myself for my stupidity! I'm going to stop now, as this chapter is already 6,000+ words long and I've just added 1,000+ words! Hope you enjoy this! **

**If you have any questions, leave them in a review or PM me, I'll get back to you as fast as possible! **

**WH**


	3. Iron Breaks & Iron Binds

**Chapter Three: Iron Breaks &amp; Iron Binds **

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Nothing but Narnia (for now) ~**

Lucy gasped as she came up for air. She could swear that Eustace was trying to drown her! If only he could get a grip and try to swim instead of panic! She was relieved when he finally swam away from her. At first she fought whoever it was that had dived off the ship to rescue her, until he tried to get her to relax.

"It's alright, you're safe now." he coaxed, she nearly forgot to tread water when she realized it was Caspian. So, they were back in Narnia, and not many years had passed after all! In her excitement she felt that she shouted too loudly, but this was much too much to whisper about.

"Caspian? Edmund it's Caspian!"

Edmund politely refused help, and instead turned to where he heard Lucy shouting. "Are we in Narnia?" He asked, looking around in disbelief. The man who had come to help him laughed. "Yes, you're in Narnia!"

All four ignored Eustace's cries, he was the damper on all this, Edmund thought in disgust as they made their way to the ship.

"I want to go back! I want to go back to England! Let go of me!" He shouted, in his fear he nearly drowned Arran. The pirate leader scowled and slapped him across the face to shut him up, and luckily stunned him long enough so as to get him back to the ship.

"How in the world did you end up here?" Caspian asked, looking at Lucy in amusement after they had arrived on ship's deck.

"I haven't the slightest idea." Lucy said, smiling.

"Caspian!" Edmund shouted, thinking it was very good to see his friend again after so long. Caspian handed him a towel as they talked. They all turned sharply when screaming ensued near the prow. Arran fell to the deck and gasped lungful's of air. He felt that a moment longer with this urchin from the sea and he'd do one of two things, toss him back to drown or kill him.

"Ew, get that thing off me, I said get it off!" Reepicheep flew off the screaming child as if he'd been shocked. He scurried over to the three monarchs, rearranging his attire as he did so.

"Reepicheep!" Lucy cried, glad to see the Mouse again after so long.

"Your Majesties, but first, what to do about this hysterical interloper." So saying, Reep turned back to look at Eustace groveling on deck with a slight shudder. Eustace, managing to get some semblance of control, shouted out; "That giant rat-thing just tried to claw my face off!"

"I was merely trying to expel the water from your lungs Sir!" Reep tossed back.

Eustace screamed again, causing everyone to step farther back from him. "It talked! It just talked!" he wailed, looking around at all the others in disbelief.

"He always talks." A soaked Gavan said, looking at Lucy, Edmund and Caspian in confusion. How could someone _not_ know about Talking Beasts?

"Actually it's getting him to shut up that's the trick." Caspian replied with a grin in Reep's direction.

"The moment there is nothing to be said, Your Highness; I promise you I will not say it." Reep answered, making a witty comeback from the insult.

As Eustace ranted and raged about being here, Reep looked up at Lucy and Edmund. "Perhaps we could throw him back?" He asked, his eyes lighting up with hope. Arran, after catching his breath, had moved to stand next to the Pevensies. Hearing Reep, he spoke up.

"I know we dislike one another, Reepicheep, but on this one point we agree completely. Except, why don't we feed him to a shark, it would be entertaining to watch." Arran grinned as he spoke, the idea sounding far better than keeping the whiner with them the _entire_ voyage. Edmund turned to look at Lucy; she was shocked by what she read in his eyes.

"Edmund!" She scolded, looking disappointed in him.

"Caspian, what is all….By Aslan…" Edmund and Lucy turned when they heard the feminine voice. The woman at the top of the stairs stared down at them; her long black hair lying in a braid that fell over one shoulder nearly to her waist, a few curly strands that were too short framing her face. They almost didn't recognize her. She looked so different, happy, older, and to their delight, more Narnian.

"Susan!" They cried at the same time. She walked slowly down the stairs until she was standing in front of them. "Oh, I missed you so." She whispered, throwing her arms around both of them in a warm hug. Lucy returned it, tears falling from her own eyes. It was _so_ good to be here again. Pulling back, Susan looked them over. Edmund smiled at his sister, remembering their last parting.

"You're soaking, come let's get you into some dry things, then we'll talk." She said, laughing slightly through her tears.

Eustace ran around the deck behind the happy reunion, screaming about being sent home. Upon seeing a Minotaur, he promptly fainted. Caspian, leaving Lucy, Edmund, and Susan so they could have a moment alone, came up to the Narnian sailor. He grinned down at the boy before clapping the sailor on the shoulder. "See to him will you?" He asked, giving the boy one last amusing glance before going to find some dry clothes. "Your Majesty. Hmm…" he said, looking down at the boy, wondering why he was so different from the King and Queen of old.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

"Lucy, I don't really know if any of my clothes will properly fit you. As you can see, dresses really aren't suitable for this venture, so, that might make it a bit easier to find something to wear." Susan said, opening the door to the rear cabin.

"I'm not quite as young as last time Su." Lucy replied with a smile. Susan turned to face her sister. "Oh, it is so good to hear your voice again!" She said, tears returning to her eyes. Lucy came forward and hugged her sister, both too emotional to speak without coming to tears.

"I believe while we were talking, Edmund and Caspian have come and gone, so take your time deciding what to wear." Susan said kindly several minutes later, laying several different outfits down on the bed.

"I missed having an older sister!" Lucy laughed as Susan was about to leave.

"And I missed having a younger one. I missed _all_ of you." Susan smiled as she closed the door behind herself.

Lucy turned and surveyed the outfits; she wanted something that was easy to move around in on deck. So she chose the white blouse, dark pants, and the maroon vest with gold embroidery on it. She was combing out her hair in the mirror when she heard the sounds of a baby fussing. Turning, she walked over to the bassinet in the corner, she hadn't been paying much attention to her surroundings, which was why she hadn't noticed it before now. The dark haired baby stared up at her before bursting into confused whimpers. He did not know who this stranger was, he just wanted his mother.

"Hey, hey, don't cry. I'm not going to hurt you." She whispered, smiling slightly. At her soft voice the little one looked up at her in surprise. Since she had the feeling that he'd only resume his crying if she left him, she reached down and picked him up; trying to recall exactly how many thousands of years it had been here in Narnia since she'd last held a baby.

"You look just like your parents." She said, noticing he had blue eyes and dark lashes like Susan's. And black hair and clear a complexion like Caspian's.

"So, I get to be an Aunt again." She whispered softly, walking toward the door.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

Lucy was glad when she found Susan, Caspian and Edmund. She wanted to know what this little boy's name was, and also what had happened to Eustace, as she felt a responsibility for him, it was his first time in Narnia after all, and he was her cousin, as much as she disliked his griping and annoying habits.

"Oh, Lu, I'm so sorry, usually he sleeps most of the day and is keeping me up all night, he's such a heavy sleeper, I didn't think he'd wake." Susan said, reaching for her son.

"Who's this?" Edmund asked, looking between the two. Susan smiled and looked at Caspian before she spoke. "This is Rilian, your nephew. We're his parents."

"I knew it!" Lucy said before she gave a squeal of delight. Edmund just smiled, being his usual passive self. He always seemed to sober up when he arrived here in Narnia, Susan noted, remembering how he'd acted just like a kid in England, but when they were brought here to help Caspian he grew up spiritually. He always acted like he was the Just King. Now she wondered if he acted that way all the time, she just hadn't really noticed.

"Welcome to the oddest family this side of Narnia." Edmund said, looking at the baby fondly. They all laughed at that, for they all knew there was more truth to it than joke.

They left the deck and walked into the main cabin, several maps were spread out on an ornately carved wooden table bolted to the floor. Edmund walked over to them, remembering the questions he had wanted to ask.

"So, exactly how many years has it been here since we came? It's one year by our time." Edmund said, looking around at Caspian and Susan.

"Three years here, coming on four. During that time we defeated the Calormen armies at the Great Desert, along with a few traitors, and the Giants of the North have surrendered, they all now pay tribute." Caspian said, pointing to several places on the maps as he spoke.

"There's peace across all of Narnia." Susan said with a smile.

"In just three years." The two ruling monarchs looked at Edmund and Lucy expectantly.

They smiled, this was better than they expected, but now for the other questions. "So, if there are no wars to fight; and no one's in trouble, then why are we here? Didn't you call for us?" Edmund asked, his expression of puzzlement not lost on the others.

"No, not this time." Caspian said, frowning in thought.

"We don't know." Susan said, looking down as she pondered the question.

"I've been asking myself the same thing." Suddenly Caspian smiled, his sober attitude vanishing as he remembered something. "I saved this for you, in case you ever came back." He walked over to a built-in cabinet, opening a door he reached in, turning back around he tossed the object to Edmund. Edmund, upon catching it, smiled, he'd found is torch. And it still worked.

"Thanks." He said, shutting off the power.

Lucy now took the time to really look around the room. It was truly beautiful. She stared wistfully at the painting of herself, Edmund, Susan and Peter riding through the woods, chasing after the White Stag so many thousands of years ago. It no longer brought back sore memories, only fond times of days past, in a world where they ruled as the greatest of leaders, and the noblest of friends. She could swear that she heard their laughter echoing back down to her through the years.

She smiled broadly when she saw the golden figurehead of Aslan above the fireplace. _"Oh Aslan."_ She whispered. She could barely contain her joy when she saw her dagger and healing cordial. She reached for them, but then stopped, wondering, was it alright for an ancient owner to come back and try to reclaim what hadn't belonged to her for many years?

"Oh, may I?" She asked, looking to Caspian as she spoke.

"Of course, they're yours." He replied with a grin.

"Peter's sword!" Edmund exclaimed, forgetting for a moment that it had been given to Caspian.

"Yes, you may hold it if you wish." Caspian was quick to offer it to him. Edmund stared at it for several seconds. The day he held that sword would be greater than reminiscing over old times. It was a kind favor, but no, he couldn't.

"No, Peter gave it to you." He said, knowing it was a weak sounding excuse, but he wasn't worthy enough to hold that weapon.

"Susan, your bow and arrows." Lucy said, looking at them, she smiled.

"I know, I just thought that since we were bringing everything else, we might as well bring these too. I only wish we had thought to bring Edmund's swords." Susan said softly, glancing over at her brother as he talked with Caspian.

"I'm sure it will be fine." Lucy said, looking in the same direction.

Edmund laughed. "Fine, we'll fight, but be prepared to lose, I have a reputation that goes back centuries."

"I know, I want to challenge it." Caspian replied good-naturedly, putting his arm around Edmund's shoulders in a comradely fashion.

"I'll need something to fight with."

"I'll see what I can find." Caspian said, moving to go. Edmund followed him.

Lucy and Susan stopped fussing over Rilian looked at each other and smiled. Edmund would be alright.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

Edmund grinned as Caspian tried to knock him off balance. He always enjoyed getting his opponent to the place where they wildly tried anything. But he knew he'd have to let Caspian win, he was the king after all, and when he left, Caspian would stay. For now he'd enjoy playing around. This was almost too easy. But in the end, instead of blocking Caspian's sword, he lowered his own, ending the fight with his opponent's blade at his neck. _That_ was something that hadn't happened in a _long_ time. Caspian frowned momentarily before smiling.

"It seems you've grown stronger my friend." Caspian sheathed his weapon as he spoke.

"Seems I have." He replied, knowing it was a joke of sorts. Strength didn't matter. Something about the air here brought back his great swordplay abilities.

He walked over to Lucy, looking around for signs of Eustace. He knew it was wrong, but he was glad the little bugger was sick. It was better than having to deal with his complaining and whining. As he leaned against the rail next to Lucy, a sailor gave him a cup of wine, knowing he'd be thirsty after that fight. "Thanks." He said breathlessly.

"Your Majesty." Was all the man replied.

"Edmund, don't you think that if we just keep sailing, we'd…tip off the edge?" Lucy asked, she'd been pondering the thought for some time, as Susan and Caspian didn't seem overly worried about that sort of thing.

"Don't worry Lu; I believe we're a long way from there." Edmund smiled before he took another swallow of wine. It was good to be back.

Eustace chose that moment to discover he was feeling the effects of Lucy's cordial, and he came up out of the hold, scowling at his cousins, who seemed just fine with being confined on a tub like this. Lucy, for some reason unknown to her, was feeling motherly toward her young cousin and asked him how he was.

"Are you feeling better?" She shared a smile with Edmund, both knowing that if he was, it was because of her.

"Yes, no thanks to you. It's lucky I happen to have an iron constitution." Eustace commented snidely, disliking how happy his cousins were.

"As effervescent as ever I see. Find your sea legs?" Reep said. He had come to congratulate Edmund on an excellent fight, but finding Eustace there, he chose to wait until it was a more private moment.

"Never lost 'em, simply dealing with the shock of things, Mother says I have an acute disposition, due to my intelligence." He muttered the last bit of his sentence, feeling, in surprise, rather small around the mouse. Edmund choked on the wine, his look of disgust plain. If this kid survived Narnia, it would be because he had guts, and a will to live against all odds, not because of _intelligence_. Edmund knew this for a fact. He had thought himself intelligent when he first came here, but on closer inspection of his stature; found that he was just stupid and idiotic.

Reep looked confidingly at Edmund and Lucy, and he winked as he said, "I don't think he has "a cute" anything."

For Eustace, that was the last straw. "I'll have you know, that as soon as we reach port I'll contact the British Consul, and file a charge to have you all arrested for kidnapping!" He walked away as he spoke, trying to seem threatening, but he ran into Caspian, who was talking with Arran about trade winds. Eustace backed up as the two men walked forward.

"Kidnapping is it?" Arran asked, smirking at the brat. What he wouldn't give for some of Isle Orrm's Hillndorf poison right about now.

"That's funny; I thought we saved your life." Caspian said with a benevolent smile. He would indulge in this peasant's crazy games, just as long as they didn't run too severe.

"You held me against my will! In the most unhygienic quarters I might add, it's like a zoo down there!"

"He's quite the complainer, isn't he?" Arran asked, looking at Edmund.

"Oh, he's just warming up. I don't believe we've met?" Edmund added, looking at Arran expectantly.

"My name's Arran, sometimes smuggler of illegal trade goods, usually baron of the black market, and currently, pirate leader of the ship _Sea_ _Serpent_. Also, I'm a Star." He added as an afterthought. Edmund turned to look at Caspian, eyebrows raised in skepticism.

"It's all true. I was going to hang him, but we go back further than this ship, so, for old times' sake I'll let him live, just as long as he keeps his word."

Here Arran grinned. "And you are King Edmund the Just, King of Old, brother to Queen Susan." He bowed slightly. Edmund smiled in return, he liked this character, and wondered where Caspian and Susan had found him.

"Arran! Tell Gavan here that he cannot expect to…" Zephyr trailed off when he saw who his older brother was talking with. Gavan jerked his arm out of his brother's grip.

"These interruptive young men are my brothers, Sire, Gavan, he's the one on the left, and Zephyr, on the right. They're not pirates, and they detest my being one." Arran said.

"Call me Edmund, please; I haven't been called Sire in centuries." Edmund said with a grin.

Everyone was distracted by the sudden shout from the lookout's perch;"Land ho!"

Edmund jumped up and ran to the helm along with Caspian, Arran, Gavan, Zephyr and Lucy. Susan was waiting for them at the top. They all stared out at the green island. "Oh, it's been so long since I've seen Felimath." Lucy breathed.

"I almost forgot it came first." Susan said.

"It's nothing but green grass, sheep and a small village on the other side, though, that was in our time, it might be a city now." Edmund said to Caspian.

"The real port, Narrowhaven, is on Doorn, it's the main island, but you have to sail around Felimath to get to it. It's sort of like the metropolis of the Lone Islands." Lucy said, glancing at Eustace sitting on the deck looking angry.

"Why don't we walk across Felimath, Drinian can sail the _Dawn Treader_ around to the port on the other side of Felimath and pick us up, then we could sail over to Narrowhaven. It would give us some time to stretch our legs." Lucy suggested.

Everyone looked at one another, nodding, why not, they'd been on this ship long enough, and besides, a walk across Felimath might be good. "I don't see why not, Drinian, lower the longboat." Caspian said, all of them wanted to walk on land after so long at sea.

As they were getting ready to lower the longboat, Eustace ran up, asking what they were doing.

"Well, will someone please tell me what's going on?" He demanded, looking around at all the dismayed faces. Arran groaned. "Must we take him? I was hoping for a break from his complaints."

"I hate this blasted tub, I want to get off, and so if you're getting off, I'm coming with you!"

Caspian scowled, he turned to Susan and whispered, "In that case, he might as well stay here." Susan, ever kind, frowned at her husband.

"Perhaps you should give him a chance; he's never been here before. You're lucky to not have seen us on our first time in Narnia. We were the whiniest lot you'd ever see." She said, looking off at the island, remembering fondly that first great adventure.

"Fine, but only for you." He said, straightening. "Good." She smiled.

"He can come." Caspian ignored the groans from Edmund, Gavan and Arran.

As they stepped out of the boat, and watched it row back to the ship, Susan looked worried. "I know Rilian is sleeping, but perhaps I shouldn't have come. Being a mother trumps adventures like this." She said. Caspian put his arm around her waist comfortingly.

"He'll be fine for an hour or so. You know you need some time away. I wish you'd try to get a decent sleep at night, I've told you he'll be fine, he won't break if you leave him." He smiled down at her.

"I _know_ that. Come on, I think all the sea air has gone to your head." She said, rolling her eyes in amusement as they walked away. Caspian laughed.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

The grass seemed greener than Lucy remembered, bending down to touch it, she was surprised to feel the power coursing through the blades. There was magic here. She could tell that the others felt it too. Arran, Gavan and Zephyr looked around uneasily.

As they crested the hill, Arran called for them to stop. Running up to where Caspian and Susan were he explained his reason for the sudden halt. "Those men. I know them, when we reach them, this is what I want everyone to do." He motioned for them to gather around him.

"Lucy, Susan, you are sailors from the _Sea_ _Serpent_, Caspian, Edmund, brothers, you as well. Eustace, just go along with it. I am your leader, we're all pirates, come here to trade, our ships are just off shore, the _Treader_ is a ship we've just captured at sea. No matter what happens, do not tell them you are rulers of Narnia, unless they happen to be loyal supporters of the crown, then, and only then, will we tell them the truth." Arran looked around the circle, meeting everyone's gaze.

"Why all this Arran?" Caspian asked.

"Because, I don't want you to be killed. I'm a man of my word, remember?" He said, smiling, though his tone held gravity to it that many of them noticed.

"Very well, I suppose you should lead then Arran." Caspian said, standing aside.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

"Hello the wanderers!" the twelve men called out, watching the group of nine slowly walk toward them. They recognized the leader. "_Arran_." The boss of the men, Pug, muttered greedily.

"Well, if it isn't Captain Arran, the infamous pirate leader!" Pug shouted. The man with the long blonde hair jerked his head up at the greeting, lightly fingering the ornate, tasseled hilt of his sword.

"Well, as I live and breathe, _Pug_. What have you been up to, you thieving dog?" The young man said; the edge in his voice clearly definable to everyone in his party.

"Nothing much, just wondering when you'd be paying us a visit. Are any of those people with you some slaves fer barter?" the grimy man asked, looking behind Arran.

"I don't trade in slaves Pug; you of all men should know that." Arran's knuckles turned white, he was holding his hilt so tightly.

"I did, I also know that you freed several 'undred last month from one of my slave ships bound for Calormen, I was 'oping it was just a rumor." Pug sneered, scowling at Arran, hatred burning in his eyes at the memory.

"I did. No one should be forced to serve, Pug. I know this better than anyone."

"Ah, yes, your "almost betrayal" of King Caspian and his beloved wife, ol' what's-'er-name…" Pug trailed off, feigning forgetfulness.

"You and I both know her name to be the Queen Susan of the Southern Sun! Shut your yapping mouth before I forget that I'm a civilized Narnian and not a barbaric pirate!" Arran shouted, bringing his blade several inches out of it's scabbard.

"Ah, but you see, I din't forget what yer afraid of." Pug said, smiling as if he had just thought of something fantastic. Caspian, Edmund, and Susan both saw the two other Stars, not just Arran, visibly pale. Pug reached into his dirty tunic, pulling out a thin necklace chain.

"You wouldn't." Arran said, taking a step back.

"Aw, but I already 'ave." Pug said, walking forward and grabbing Arran's hand so fast it caught everyone off-guard. Arran gasped and stumbled to the ground as Pug wrapped the chain around his hand.

"How dare you!" Arran gasped, staring at the chain. Edmund suddenly was struck by how pale and washed-out Arran was starting to look, and wondered what a dying Star looked like. He hoped Arran _wasn't_ dying.

"See, ladies and gents, all magical bearing Narnians are deathly afraid of iron. Even a small bit, like this chain around your Captain's 'and can suppress their magic, kill 'em if you tie enough of it to 'em. So, even the "mighty Captain Arran" can be defeated." He taunted, kicking the fallen young man. Arran gasped and coughed into the sand.

"You cruel devil! Gavan shouted, running out from his group and falling on his knees next to his brother.

"Cruel I may be, but your Captain's the devil. No one should be able to do all that crazy fire stuff like 'e does, it just ain't normal."

Gavan stood, glaring at the man. "I swear to Aslan, if you don't remove that chain I'll blast you to hell and back!" He threatened through gritted teeth, a glow radiating off his form.

"Aw, ain't that sweet boys, 'e's a Star too. Grab 'em!" Pug shouted suddenly, barely giving them a moment to get their blades out. Eustace ran through the muddle of fighting Narnians and slave traders and fell down next to Arran. He didn't know why he was doing this, he didn't harbor any special feelings for the man, but something inside him had to help. He managed pull off the chain and toss it away before getting yanked to his feet. Arran stood shakily, the color slowly returning to his complexion.

Arran drew his blade as Pug turned around. The slave trader smiled cruelly before drawing his own sword, motioning for his men to stay back. "After playin' with that little bauble you'll 'ave to fight fair." Pug used Arran's unsteady countenance in his favor, and several minutes later Arran was bleeding from multiple wounds. Yet he refused to give up.

"That's one thing about pirates you have to admire." Caspian whispered to Edmund from where they stood, being held by their captors. The fight between the Slavers and the Narnians was over quickly, as the Stars were rendered useless by the iron, and Caspian and Edmund weren't much use when they were outnumbered.

"What?" Edmund asked, glancing at him.

"They don't give up."

"An honorable trait." Edmund replied.

Arran gasped, checking the flow of his blood with his free hand, wondering just how much longer he'd be conscious. "Come on, give in." Pug said, breathing heavily.

"Just because I pass out doesn't mean I'm giving up!" Arran whispered through gritted teeth, falling to his knees.

Pug smiled smugly. "Well, men, it appears we've got some new slaves."

"Finn, grab the mouse, Dev, shut up that babbling brat! and be careful with those girls, we don't need them looking bad for auction tomorrow. Gret, Hf, carry Arran till he's dead, he was a great pirate once you know." Pug sneered down at the unconscious Star before walking to the front of his men, leading the way to the City of Felimath. As he walked past Caspian, the king shouted; "Don't you know what you're doing, who we are?"

"I don't care sonny. But you'll surely fetch me a good price, excluding your mouth." Pug said, walking past him.

Halfway to the city, Arran regained consciousness, so they made him walk, as it was obvious that he'd live, if tended to.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

As they reached the outskirts, a man walked out of an inn, toward his carriage, he noticed the tall dark haired young man and wondered where he'd seen his likeness. His mind brought forth the memories of his beloved king, and he knew he had to do something, as that young man wasn't a typical slave, none of them were.

"Hold Pug, hold your march!" He shouted, walking toward them, motioning for his servants to follow him. Pug turned and smiled broadly at the man, showing his bad teeth.

"Well, if it isn't the honorable Lord Bern! Come to tell me you want another order of slaves like last March?" Pug asked, looking greedily to the man's money purse.

"No, I want to look at this lot, the dark one if you will." He said, motioning to one of the bunch. The dark haired's gaze was careful, and his countenance cold, bent mostly on reassuring the woman next to him. If Bern had had a weak heart and was prone to fainting spells, he might have collapsed right there. The young man was nearly an exact replica of his long dead king.

As Dev shoved the dark haired young man closer for Bern to have a better look, he turned and lunged against him, shouting in the Narnian language. The woman with the long black hair that he had been standing next to cried out in kind, fighting against the ropes that bound her, screaming a word that sent shivers of remembrance down Bern's spine, as he recalled shouting that same name when his friend and king was crowned.

"Caspian, Caspian!"

Bern winced when she fell, the ropes biting into her wrists. "How much for him?" He asked, a plan forming in his mind as he stared into the tall young man's brown eyes. He now could put a name to him. Caspian.

* * *

**A/N: Oh, a cliffhanger, I don't think I've done one of those before! **

**I think Pug did a suitable job of explaining the iron for now. I'm basing that on magic lore and other things. Gavan explains this further in the following chapter. **

**And that bit about "the Narnian language" is explained in the next chapter as well. I have a theory about that that I can explain now though, so you'll understand and be on the same page with me. It's this: ****There has to be multiple languages in Narnia, even Narnia has a separate language, and I quote: **

**"Peter leant back with half-closed eyes and recalled to his mind the language in which he had written such things long ago in Narnia's Golden Age."**

**That quote is from the book Prince Caspian, the part where Peter is going to challenge Miraz. So, I'm basing the language thing on that. Then, if you want to get into greater detail, there has to be different dialects in Narnia, so everyone has to have some common ground. **

**This common ground I'm going to refer to as "Trader's Talk", "Jargon", or as it can be more sophisticatedly called; "Merchant's Tongue". As it is very likely traders/merchants would've invented a language so they could talk amongst each other and with the natives of other countries. **

**It would be, {in my opinion} far too hard to learn all the dialects and languages of other countries, including one's own, so this is a simple way to communicate. **

**In my version of the Narnian world, the language is a great deal like English, thus, the Pevensies were not seen as strange when they came into Narnia, as every good Narnian knows that language. See, there's a good, strong logic there!**

* * *

**I didn't know how best to introduce Rilian, so I thought it rather sweet to have Lucy notice the baby, instead of an awkward introduction from Susan and Caspian. **

**I like that Lucy seems to have a way with kids, how her character in the film version of this story turns more motherly after they find Gael. So I built on that. **

**Some babies _do_ sleep all day and stay up all night, I was one of them. My Mom and Dad joke, _to this day,_ about how they'd put me in a baby swing at one in the morning, hoping I'd go to sleep. But I just stared at them, and I never even nodded off, then I'd sleep a lot during the day. I had my days and nights switched, still do even now sometimes. **

* * *

**In the book, VOTDT, it says that Pug is a pirate, so, I reasoned that he would've met Arran sometime. **

**{Again, Disclaimer, Arran is not a product of my love of everything pirate and POTC, I keep my feelings, likes, and dislikes for other worlds and books separate when I write stories.} **

**I think that Pug and Arran would've been tense friends. Pug is the man that shook Arran's hand and then tried to stab him in the back, the guy who agrees to split fifty-fifty and then double-crosses everyone. They only rely on one another when they absolutely _have to._ **

**As Arran's said, he hates slavery, and Pug knows this, so he flaunts the fact that that's what _he_ does for a living. **

* * *

**I liked changing to Bern's POV at the end of this chapter, it's kind of hard, but it looks good. I'm not really all that great in writing in first person, usually I just stick to third, which is what I did, I _really_ need to work on writing in first. {The quandaries of a writer} **

**As you can now finally see, I'm combining book and film both. I think the blend is good. **

* * *

**Ah, a small fact I discovered when rereading the book...**

**If you count all the days Caspian was at sea before the Pevensies fell into the picture ,{literally}, it's exactly thirty days, or 1 month. Caspian, by request, was allowed to sail for a year and a day to seek out information of, or the lost Lords themselves, after Narnia was at peace, by Aslan. **

**So, the Pevensies and Eustace sailed with Caspian for eleven months and a day exactly. It mentions near the end of the book that they only have a few days left to the grant before time's up and they have to head back. That's about when they stumble upon Aslan's Country. **

**I thought that was pretty interesting.**

* * *

**Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, the next will be up shortly. Happy reading! ~ W.H.1492**


	4. Many Things To Explain

**Chapter four: Many Things To Explain**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia (Still) ~**

Susan stiffened, wishing she could remember the language Lone Islanders spoke. She knew that none of their group, except for Arran, knew what was being said, and Arran was too weak to translate. When the man shouted something as they walked past, she looked fearfully up at Caspian.

"It's going to be fine, somehow we'll get out of this, you'll see. Don't cry Susan." He whispered, wishing he could put his arms around her.

"You don't know that, we don't know what that man wants." Susan said, nodding to the richly dressed man as he approached. Caspian looked up to stare at him. Caspian wasn't going to soon forget the way they'd been treated here, and as soon as he was able, these Islanders would know his wrath. He noticed the man was shaking slightly as he talked, the man's eyes never leaving his own. He scowled when Dev moved him away from Susan.

"Caspian! Please, don't separate us! Caspian, don't let him separate us!" Susan screamed, fighting the man holding her.

"Don't you dare hurt her, Susan, don't fight it, He'll just make it worse!" He stopped shouting to find he was now in front of the man, who was slightly shorter than himself. The man looked from him to shout something to Pug. Pug said some more numbers, finally relenting and stopping at one hundred and fifty. The man nodded in agreement, looking at the rest of the bunch. Every time he looked back, Caspian met his gaze with hate.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

"Pug, enough of your stupid games, I'll settle for one hundred and fifty and nothing less! That's all he's worth anyway as an untried slave." Bern felt an odd taste in his mouth as he uttered the word, knowing Caspian was anything but.

"Let's see what else you have." Bern muttered, walking around the nervous group. He was hesitant to look up, knowing most of them didn't know what was being said, but they had an idea of what was going on. He disliked meeting Caspian's gaze because he just stared at him with clear hatred. Bern stopped and looked at the dark haired woman that had been crying, then to Caspian.

He watched with pity as the young man's gaze turned loving when he stared at her. He met Bern's eyes and looked away when the man shrugged helplessly. He couldn't buy her, she'd be too high priced, and he hadn't expected to be doing this today. But, Bern knew, if his plan worked, then all these people could be saved, and Narrowhaven would cease to be a slave trade center.

"I'll take the half dead one as well. If he dies I can feed him to my dogs." Bern said, lying easily. If the Star died, he'd be buried the way a proper Narnian should be.

"Very well, 'e's free, since 'e's as good as gone anyways." Pug said dismissively; knowing that he wouldn't get anything for Arran at the auction. As the group moved on, Bern felt almost as low as a murderer; watching Caspian stare after them, hopelessness in his eyes.

He turned to Lord Bern and started shouting in rapid Narnian, but Bern just shook his head, motioning for him to slow down, he hadn't heard the language in so long it would take some getting used to. Bern's eyes lit when he came upon another idea. Trader's Talk. It was a universal language, not Narnian, Galmanian, Terebinthian, Calormen, or anything else, but a separate language, meant for times much like these.

"Do you know Trader's Talk?" He asked kindly in the language. The young man smiled in recognition.

"Yes." He said simply.

"Very well, forgive me for not taking the girl as well, but Pug is a shrewd trader, and she would've been far too high a price for me to pay at the moment." Bern winced again, noticing the wounded look return to Caspian's eyes.

"She's my wife. Please, if there's any way…" He trailed off, not sure what right he had to even ask the man.

"There is a way, but you must first tell me something. I bought you, er, rescued you, because you have a regal look to you-" Before he could finish, Caspian interrupted, running the risk that this admittance might change something.

"I'm King Caspian tenth of that name, I delivered Narnia from the hands of my usurping Uncle, Miraz, with the help of the four Kings and Queens of Old, Queen Susan is my wife. And if you don't help me think of some way to save her no man in Narrowhaven will escape my wrath!" Caspian shouted at Bern, but stopped when he noticed the older man's look of shock.

"So it's true then. Narnia is once again under Narnian rule, how many years I have waited for that news." Bern whispered softly as his gaze landed on the injured young man being tended to by his servants. He suddenly realized that they must act.

"Just who are you? And why do you wish for a free Narnia?" Caspian demanded.

Bern jerked out of his musings and suddenly realized that this was the King, and he was still bound. He reached for his dagger as he answered the question. "Bern, Lord Bern, a friend of your father's. I fled with several of my companions under the guise of exploring the Eastern Ocean. We arrived here and I stayed, married and never went back, never sent envoys or letters of inquiry to Narnia, fearing Miraz would hunt me down and kill me because of my loyalty to your father and you."

Caspian rubbed his wrists as Bern spoke, relieved to have the rope off. "Thank you for your kindness. Now, I must find a way to get my wife, her family, and several of my men back."

"I believe I know of a way, but you must come with me, we can better discuss this in the privacy of my home. I think my servants have tended to the young man well enough for now." Bern said, looking to his servants, they nodded.

"Very well, but time is short, I do not wish to leave my people with that man any longer than is necessary."

"Come with me." Bern said.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

Susan had grown very quiet as they walked toward the ship that would carry them across the cove to Narrowhaven. Lucy and Edmund shared worried looks about her. "Su?" Lucy asked hesitantly when they arrived at the docks, and the traders were too busy to notice.

"What Lucy?" Susan spoke softly, her voice catching. Lucy could tell she'd been crying.

"Nothing, I'm just worried for you." She said, before the Traders hustled them into the ship.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

"This'll be where you'll stay 'for the auction tomorrow." Pug sneered as they were shoved into a cell in Narrowhaven. Lucy looked up from where she stood in the corner and realized that they were taking Edmund and Eustace somewhere else.

"Edmund! Edmund, what are you doing with my brother?" Lucy screamed, turning to stare at the man.

"Y can't all be in the same cell, it just ain't sensible missy." Pug said, concentrating on Gavan and Zephyr.

The two Star's ropes were removed, but were quickly replaced with shackles. "If you let us out I'd promise you, you'd get a thrashing you wouldn't forget!" Gavan shouted threateningly.

"I really don't care t' make good on that." Pug said, slipping another thin chain out of his tunic and putting it around the boy's neck.

"Relax, this ain't gonna kill ya'." Pug muttered, moving as the boy slumped back against the wall.

"How can you know? You're not the one who's experiencing it." Gavan muttered, wincing at the pain.

The trader did the same to Zephyr before leaving. Susan and Lucy were glad they hadn't been shackled, but what did that matter since there was no escape anyway? The cell was twenty by sixteen feet, Lucy noted, walking around the perimeter several times.

"I wonder how long they've been dealing in magic bearing Narnians and other prisoners to know about the iron?" Lucy mused, staring out through the iron bars on the front wall of their prison.

"I don't know, but help me, this isn't right for them to suffer." Susan said, moving to kneel by Zephyr. Lucy came up to Gavan, who was still leaning on the wall.

"I'm curious, why does iron have this effect on you? I know it's painful for many Narnians, but this is far worse than I've seen." Lucy said, breaking the thin chain.

"Let me catch my breath first." Gavan said, breathing as if he'd just run a marathon. Zephyr was on the floor, his back against the wall, eyes closed, muttering something both girls couldn't make out.

"Zephyr, stop, it's just going to drive you insane, stop saying that." Gavan whispered hoarsely, looking to his brother. Then he turned to Lucy.

"You want to know why it has this affect my Queen? Break a bit of it off, very good, hand it to me, yes, I'm sure." Gavan said, holding out his hand for the small length of chain. He grimaced as he pulled it hard across his palm, causing blood to flow. Lucy gasped, remembering Arran's injuries, and the silver blood. It was uncanny.

"A Star's blood runs silver; it is this color because it is mostly magic. It's what keeps us alive, as your blood does for you, but our blood also gives unlimited power, the ability to live longer. We carry so much magic that it's almost like getting knocked off your feet to come in contact with iron. Most Narnians don't have this much, so it is merely painful." Gavan tore the hem of his shirt, using it to wrap around his hand.

"I didn't know that, I can't imagine what that must be like." Lucy said, recalling Arran's look of agony when he fell to the ground.

"If I might ask, how did you come to know my sister and - Caspian?" Lucy said, suddenly realizing that Caspian was more than just a friend now, he was family.

"We betrayed them." Gavan said, smiling grimly.

"What?" Lucy asked, confused.

"We were spies, and we nearly got them killed because we told every move they made, everything they did, to a traitor, a man who wished to see them killed, and Narnia returned to its Telmarine ways and customs." Gavan said by way of explanation.

"But…you're Narnians." Lucy said, not at all understanding this.

"Perhaps I might explain some other time? When I have the strength?" Gavan asked.

"Yes, sorry." Lucy said, realizing that he'd be exhausted, and that she needed to go see how Susan was. She walked up to her sister, who was once again sitting in the far corner, staring blankly at the opposite wall.

"Susan, how are you?"

"Oh Lucy, how I wish Aslan could save us!" Susan whispered. Lucy sat down next to her and reached for her hand comfortingly. "I know, I know." She replied. Lucy didn't know what would happen, and she was afraid, but she knew she had to be strong for her sister. As they sat in silence, Lucy became acutely aware of a shuffling, pacing sound coming from the other side of the wall on Susan's left. A low, animalistic whimper roused her curiosity even more. She crawled forward to a grate in the floor, and looked into the cell next to theirs.

A large white she-wolf with grey accents on her fur paced with her head down, a shackle on her hind leg, giving her space to move, but still greatly constricting her actions. As the she-wolf turned her head, smelling the air, Lucy noticed a thin iron chain around her neck as well. "Oh, poor dear." Lucy whispered, wondering if the wolf was a Narnian wolf, and if the chain prohibited her from speaking, or something crueler.

The wolf suddenly stared at her, having heard her whisper, and smelling her scent. Its grass green eyes met hers emotionlessly. Girl and wolf stared at one another, waiting for the first one to move. Lucy suddenly struck upon an idea.

"Do you understand Narnian, or anything?" Lucy asked slowly. The wolf gave a low whine in reply.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'. Now, to test if you truly do understand me; and I'm not just talking to a wild animal," Lucy muttered, wondering if she was going crazy in the cell from worry over her brother and Caspian's fate, "Walk to me as far as the shackle will allow. Good!" Lucy praised, as the wolf came up to the grate and lay down facing her. They were nose to nose.

"Okay, now I'm going to get that ugly thing off your neck." Lucy muttered, reaching her hands through the grating and sliding them into the thick white fur. It was several seconds before she managed to find the chain; she slid it around until she found the clasp. Opening it, she pulled it away from the wolf's neck and tossed it back behind the animal. It hit the opposite wall with a clang.

Lucy gasped, jerking her hands back through the bars as the wolf jumped up and away with a snarl, before coming to a stop in the middle of her cell and howling. Clearly that iron had restricted her, sobering her to almost complete inactivity.

In Lucy's cell, Susan jumped upon hearing the howling. Turning, she saw Lucy stretched out across the floor. She slid down next to her sister to find out what she thought so fascinating. Susan gasped when she saw the she-wolf.

"What-how..?" She asked, looking to Lucy for an explanation.

"I thought there was something over here, and so, when I looked, there she was. I wish she'd talk to me, but I'm afraid she might be too savage after being treated in who-knows-what-way." Lucy replied. As she spoke, though, the wolf walked back to the grate. Lying down again so she could look into their eyes, she started to speak.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

"Where is your ship?" Bern asked, turning to Caspian as they arrived at Bernstead, the Lord's estate on the sister island of Avra. It was quite a beautiful residence, if one wasn't distracted by more important matters of state. The manor was built out into the water, the lower terrace nearly level with the sea. It had most of its windows facing the ocean, so as to get a cool breeze, for the weather in the Lone Islands is rather like the tropics. Bern's land spread out in an ever widening radius from the manor. Lord Bern was a fair man, and he had tried, in all the time he'd taken residence on the Lone Islands, to cease the trading of men. As a result, he had many hundreds of servants he'd freed from slavery, but because his land was so fruitful, and the men and women so eager to serve, there were no worries over food, drink or shelter.

"Probably rounding to Doorn by now." Caspian replied as they disembarked from Bern's sloop onto the terrace, built for such a reason.

"I'll have Wrenn fly out to send a message before they enter the harbor, we don't want them captured as well." Bern said. Before Caspian could inquire as to whom this "Wrenn" was, a little girl ran out to them shouting excitedly.

"Father, Father's back! Everyone, Father's back!" Her auburn curls bounced wildly around her face as she ran. The hem of her white and lilac purple dress was torn and she was barefoot, but Bern either didn't care, or ignored those details as he smiled and knelt down to embrace her.

"Lily, what have I told you about shouting for your sisters when I have a guest or otherwise?" He asked, a twinkle in his eye as he spoke.

"I know, "Never shout because it causes Mummy to run and everyone to start asking too much questions at all the 'xact same times." Lily recited proudly.

"Well, that was more or less correct." Bern said, standing, but keeping her hand in his. Caspian watched the two interact with an amused expression, but he looked up sharply when more shouts and yells were heard from the terrace entrance.

"Oh darling! I'm ever so glad you're back! There is so much you need to do!" The woman, with similarly colored hair to that of the little girl appeared first, a rainbow of paint smattered on her hair and her dress. Her hair was back in a loose braid, wisps falling over her eyes. Her light summer dress was a spring green with yellow accents, and she was also barefoot.

"Look out father, mother, Lily, you, sir, _move_!" Two girls, one in a sky blue dress and brown hair, the other in a flaming orange, with hair to match, galloped past, bareback, on two grey mares. The animals, instead of stopping, plunged into the surf, their riders screaming in excitement. The mares dove beneath the surface, while the two girls climbed back onto the terrace.

"Water Horses." They explained to a stunned Caspian as yet another girl, this one in yellow, came out onto the porch and gave them thick, sandy colored towels, all the while reading a book.

"Dahlia, Celandine, Please, must you introduce yourselves in this fashion?"

"Darling, this is what I was talking about; they won't keep still long enough for me to paint a portrait of them!" Bern's wife said, ignoring the fact that there was a guest and her daughters had just jumped off a terrace on horseback. She acted as if it was a normal occurrence, which was true.

"How's that new book Buttercup?" Bern asked, looking at the other girl with a grin.

"Marvelous father…" the girl in yellow muttered, nodding and smiling to herself as she read, her short brown hair ruffled by the warm summer breeze as it blew off the ocean.

"Father, Jon stole my drawing pad!" A girl came running up dressed in dark pink, her long chestnut hair blowing back in the breeze as she ran.

"Well, Ivy took my pastels!" another girl, identical to the first shouted, running out after her sister, she was wearing light pink.

"Father, Missy is going to foal, and I don't know what to do!" A blonde girl wearing a dark purple shirt, black pants and brown knee-high riding boots ran out to her Father, a worried expression on her face. Before Bern could help her with her quandary, or even answer, yet another girl ran out to him. She had on a light green and pink dress, with reddish-brown curls.

"Oh father, I really need you, Wrenn says my skills aren't good enough! But I've told him and told him, I can treat injuries, I learnt from the best - you!" So saying she threw her arms around her father in a hurried hug, before going back to shouting over the cacophony of noise.

"Father I've had it! I really have! This piece won't sound right, I'm about to throw it into the ocean!" Another girl, this one in red and black came out, waving some music sheets in her hand. She had the darkest hair, nearly black.

"Oh father, I've got a splinter!" a little girl ran out, holding her right hand in her left in front of her as if it was infected. She had leaves and twigs in her long brown braid and her green dress was in tatters.

"Father, please, I wish you would help me with this poor tree, it's really quite pitiful." A girl in white said, pulling off her gardening gloves as she spoke. She had a dark tan and her brown hair had a sun kissed look to it.

"Oh, Father. I'm glad to see your safe home! You must tell us how your business trip was and – who's this?" a young woman stopped at the terrace entrance, her eyes glancing at Caspian with a question, before she looked back to her father. She had her hair up in a style that reminded Caspian of Susan, and her dress was, well, let's just say that it was wildly patterned with all the colors of her younger siblings.

"Roxy, girls, please, I have something to tell you, and I wish you'd all stop shouting!" Bern yelled above the noise. The silence that followed was deafening.

"Caspian, these are my daughters, and my wife. Roxanne, this is Caspian, King of Narnia, and these Islands." Bern said, talking to the paint-stained woman.

"Oh, goodness, my King, what you must think of us! Please, though, call me Roxy, everyone does. Except for those who call me Mother, "Mummy" "Ma" "Maman" and all other endearing titles a mother earns in her life." Roxy said, giving a shallow curtsy, more paint smearing across her dress from the brush she held as she did so.

"Of course." Caspian said, smiling at her sentence.

"And these are my girls. Azalea, the oldest, at nineteen," the young lady in the crazy patterned dress curtsied.

"Buttercup, next oldest, eighteen," the girl in yellow nodded, taking her eyes from her book for an instant.

"Celandine, next oldest, seventeen," The wet girl in orange smiled and nodded sharply, shaking water drops everywhere.

"Dahlia, next oldest, sixteen," The other wet girl in sky blue grinned.

"Eglantine, the oldest younger girl, fifteen," The girl with the worried expression over her mare smiled slightly, and bowed, which was unusual for a girl.

"Fern, next youngest, fourteen," The girl who had been complaining about reliance in her nursing skills curtsied.

"Ginger, thirteen" the musician who had been threatening to throw the music into the ocean nodded.

"Hyacinth, twelve," The girl in white who had been talking about some tree, curtsied deeply.

"The twins, ten, Ivy and Jonquil, or, Jon as she prefers," The two girls who had been fighting over art supplies curtsied.

"Kennedia, nine," The little girl crying about a splinter nodded, ran forward to shake Caspian's hand, stopped between him and her parents, then ran back and hid behind them when she realized what she was doing.

"And the youngest, Lily, she's six." Bern picked up the child who had been first to arrive, she giggled and put her arms around her father's neck.

"Twelve?" Caspian asked, surveying the large group.

"Yes, and that doesn't include the many servants, who are all great friends as well, and all the talking Narnian beasts and all the water horses, ordinary horses, goats, sheep, forest animals, pigs, cats, rats, dogs and the rest of the menagerie we keep around because of my girls - and my wife." Bern said, smiling indulgently as he looked at his family.

"Now, though, Azalea, please help your Mother with these children, Caspian and I must talk over something. It regards the future of the Islands." Bern said, returning to the somber state he had arrived in.

"Come with me, Sire." Bern said, motioning into the manor. Both men stopped when one of Bern's sailors shouted for him.

"What is it now Everyn?" Bern sighed, momentarily passing a hand over his face and muttering something about "too many people".

"What do we do with this injured man?" The Calormen asked, motioning to Arran, who was helped to the terrace by two other sailors, even though he was complaining that he could walk without help, in usual Arran style, wounded though he was.

"Arran?" The blonde haired young man looked up sharply, and his grimace of pain was momentarily replaced with shock.

"Azalea, what in Aslan's name are you doing here?" He replied, staring at the young lady.

"I live here. But what's happened to you?" She asked, running down the stairs to his side.

"I decided I'd had enough of easy living fighting on the sea, and decided I'd mess with fate. No, guess." He stated flatly, wincing as he tried to move forward. She replied something and looked at him with concern.

"I say, young man. I don't know you, but I dare say my daughter does. Just who _are_ you?" Bern asked, his expression stern.

"Arran, captain of the pirate ship _The_ _Sea_ _Serpent_. I don't believe we've met either. I think your daughter had something to do with that too." Here Arran's gaze turned to Azalea's, and she blushed slightly, looking down.

"She refused to tell me who her father was, now I know why. I don't blame you if you want throw me back into the ocean, but, put me on my ship instead, as I don't think I can very well swim to her in this state." Arran continued, struggling to make light of the situation by mentioning that Bern would want to keep him away from his daughter.

Caspian interrupted before Bern could reply; "Your ship is still out there somewhere? I thought you sent her back to Galma."

"Yes and no. Yes to the fact that she is, indeed still out there, probably on the north of this very island, and no to the fact that I didn't send her back to port." Arran grinned weakly. He had said he wouldn't raid their ship, and he wouldn't harm Caspian's crew, he didn't say he'd sent his ship back, but that idea _had_ been implied.

"Azalea, I think there is much you two have to explain, but for now, Fern, help him, girls, the rest of you wash up and get started helping with dinner. Caspian, I don't know how much privacy we'll have, but we _need_ to talk." Bern walked away into the recesses of his house and Caspian followed, glancing back at the group on the terrace once more before he left.

* * *

**A/N: **

**I know I gave Bern twelve daughters. There's really no reason behind that, except that I loved the idea of him being a reserved man with a rather wild, rambunctious family. it says simply in the books: **

**"Bern's gracious wife and merry daughters made them good cheer." **

**{Twelve daughters all with flower names has NOTHING WHATEVER to do with the Twelve Dancing Princess fable, I promise!} **

**I like the idea of Bern being a calm man, but when strangers see his home they can't understand why it isn't more like he is. I portrayed Bern as a Telmarine who is a free thinking man, and he listens to other people's ideas and thoughts, but he wasn't always that way. He stayed and married a girl of the Islands, a Narnian, who vastly changed his opinion. **

**Something the six other Lords, his friends, couldn't understand. Sure, they liked the Narnians well enough, but to marry one was probably considered below their rank, {Remember, they're Telmarines, not lost puppies (couldn't help it!)} ****They stayed friends, but when the time came to set sail and find some way to destroy the mist, Bern stayed with his family. **

**Roxanne is the leader of her girls, but she also is the grounding rock. She encourages their creativeness, but also curbs the wild side, the side they get from her. she disciplines them and loves them. She also brings out Bern's wild side, what little there is of that.**

* * *

**I don't know what the atmosphere is like in the Lone Islands, but whenever I read the book, I always imagine it to be tropical. I don't know, I suppose I like the idea of palm trees and tropical flora and fauna. I also like the idea of a large happy family living somewhere in a lush beautiful island. Try to put aside the movie and think in a new perspective with me, humor the writer if ya don't mind. {lol}**

**I have never read of Capaill Uisce {pronunciation: Cabyll-Ushtey: meaning roughly: 'water horse'} having an appearance in Narnia, so again I took a creative license there, as water horses are rather vicious and cruel. I kept them wild and unruly, but tamed down their folklore side. I hope this doesn't bother you, don't worry they don't come into the story many more times after this...About once more I think.**

* * *

**Remember, Bern already knows Caspian's name, because of Susan shouting it, and he knows that Caspian looks very much like his beloved, deceased king, which is why that went by rather smoothly. I also think that the character portrayed in the movie by Ben is not one to be doubted if he had said that. **

**{That is, if they had gone by the book more.} **

* * *

**Now, What else is there... {What else is there?! You should write a book: "How To Offend Women In Five Syllables Or Less".} Who can tell me where that's from? ;) **

**Oh yeah, tell me your ideas and thoughts about the Star-magic. Flames or whatever will be helpful. **

**I titled this "Many Things To Explain" because there was a bunch of stuff in book and movie that had been just barely touched, so I delved into it full force. {prison cell stays, and Bern's family} **

**I can't think of much else, except that this is slightly a filler chapter, fleshing out Bern and his family more than the book and movie does. If there are points that you wanted me to address, but I didn't and missed them entirely, please leave them in a review, I'll tell you about them in the next A/N or PM you immediately, {as soon as I can} **

**My favorite part is where Caspian meets all the daughters of Bern. Those kids have strong resemblances to my siblings, down to the shouting! Well, enjoy! ~ W.H. **


	5. Plans & Green Mist

**Chapter five: Plans &amp; Green Mist**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Forgive me, my family makes very free. Neither my wife nor my children have even seen, or known, anyone of nobility worth knowing. And, well, Roxanne is rather a free spirit." Bern apologized for his family as he closed the double doors to his study. It was two stories high, his study, with three walls covered in books to the ceiling, and shelves built around even the doorframe. The fourth wall was made of six glass double doors, leading to a balcony looking out to the sunset. Heavy maroon curtains framed each double door.

"No, it is nothing, believe me, my wife would be delighted to know there are still old-fashioned Narnians around. As would her siblings." Caspian said quietly, his mind more on what to do, than on a family that would be seen by _his_ people as rude and barbaric.

"Please sit, unless of course you wish to pace, as your father did." Bern said, unable to stop the smile from gracing his face when he noticed Caspian's actions.

"Someday, when we have the time, you must discuss my father with me, as I do not remember much of him." Caspian requested, his gaze landing on a Narnian blade in a glass case.

"Of course my King." Bern nodded in agreement. "Now, the Governor of the Islands, Gumpas is his name,"

"And what is this man, this Gumpas like? Does he still acknowledge the King of Narnia for his Lord?" Caspian interrupted.

"In words yes, all is done in the king's name, even slavery. But he would not be pleased to find a living, breathing King of Narnia coming upon him in the midst of all this treachery and vileness. And if you were to come alone to him to discuss, his _actions_, shall we say, he would not deny his allegiance, but he would claim that _you_ are a liar." Bern said, sitting in a chair.

"Well, speak of your plan then." Caspian said, waving the Lord to continue while he listened.

"You said your ship would be rounding the point?" Bern asked abruptly.

"Yes." Caspian answered, walking closer to inspect the Narnian sword, he recognized the craftsmanship as old Narnian.

"How many men have you?" the Lord questioned.

"Thirty swords if it came to a battle." He replied, turning from the weapon and resuming his pacing. "And what is the reason I cannot just sail into the port and rescue my wife and friends?" Caspian demanded impatiently.

"Because three or more ships would come to protect the harbor and Pug's trade, it would be foolish in the very least to even attempt it. Your Majesty must work by a show of more power than you really have, and by the terror of the King's name. Plain battle must be avoided at all costs. Luckily, as I had been going to say, Gumpas is a weak-minded man, and can be easily over-awed."

"Very well. I put full trust in you. As there is not more I can do." Caspian sighed and ran his hand through his hair as he spoke.

"I'll send for Wrenn now Sire to go fetch your ship." As Bern spoke he walked out to the balcony. Soon after, a sharp whistle pierced the evening. Caspian followed after Bern, his curiosity piqued. Moments later a shrill cry called back. A beautiful grey falcon landed on the marble railing.

"You called Master?" The raptor asked, his sharp eyes darting to Caspian as he spoke.

"Yes, I'm sure you've by now seen the Narnian vessel rounding the point into Doorn?" The Lord questioned.

"Quite. Is there some message you wish to convey?"

"Naturally. Wrenn, this young man is Caspian, King of Narnia and of these Islands. The vessel is his, and I wish you, on his behalf, to intercept her and turn her this way." Here Bern turned to Caspian. "Is there something you might tell Wrenn so they can be assured of my friend's honesty in the message?"

"Yes," Caspian said, pausing momentarily, "Tell him this, my captain will know and answer the riddle; 'called by the horn'." After saying that Caspian moved off and stared out across the ocean, wondering what the next day would bring. Deliverance or death for many people he cared about and loved?

Bern said a few things more to the falcon before the bird flew to the air. He walked over and stood next to his king for several minutes before he spoke. "Wrong will be right. Come, before my children burst through that door shouting about dinner getting cold."

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

The dining hall was a long room, windows on either side, the ones on the left facing the ocean and opened to a long balcony. The ones on the right were closed, but could be opened onto a terrace that led down to the front of Bern's manor, and faced all the Bernstead landholdings. A large fountain with beautiful landscaping unfolding before it burbled outside the windows. Though, as they walked into the dining hall, Bern joked that the true entrance to his home was the terrace where Caspian had met all his family.

Inside there was as much chaos as there had been at Caspian's arrival, Fern had an injured lamb next to her place in a wooden box, Hyacinth had a potted plant on a stand in a corner that she was mumbling over with concern. Eglantine was absent, a servant coming in several minutes later to say that she was with her mare in the stables. Azalea, Dahlia, and Celandine were whirling the younger siblings around to the lively music being played at the far end of the room. Caspian just shook his head in amazement, how one could deal with twelve girls was beyond him. Bern just watched all his children with a benevolent smile upon his face.

"I believe girls that we have a very important guest, and it is time to eat." Roxanne spoke from behind Bern and Caspian, soon walking up next to her husband.

The children quickly took to their seats after their mother entered the room, and it became very obvious as dinner wore on that she was the stability in the family; even after all her oddness when Caspian had first met her. Dinner was a lively affair; with girls jumping up to go help with kitchen things, or fetch something they wanted their father to see.

"Why does the King seem so sad Father?" Lily asked, watching Caspian wander out to the balcony after dinner, while the girls and several servants laughed and danced once again to the music at the far end of the dining hall. They each had their own hobbies and occupations, but they had inherited a love of dancing and fun from their parents.

"Remember how you told me you disliked it when I traveled for business?" Bern asked his youngest child.

"Yes, I don't like you going so far away Father!" Lily exclaimed.

"Well, what if one day you heard that I was lost in some faraway place, and you knew where I was, but we couldn't get to each other, how would you feel?"

"Oh I'd be so very sad, and worried for you!" the child replied earnestly.

"In a way, that is how the King feels. He has lost several people he cares for dearly, and he knows where they are, but he cannot go to them." Bern ruffled his daughter's curls fondly as he spoke.

"Oh, I'm sorry for him. I hope he gets them back." Lily said, watching Caspian lean against the balcony railing and put his head in his hands.

"As do I my dear, as do I." Bern replied, before sending the little girl off to go dance.

Leaving the happy group he walked out through the open doors to stand next to Caspian. "You are every bit like your father, except in one respect." Bern said, staring off at the last rays of light making the sky dark purple and turning the edge of the ocean gold.

"What?" Caspian straightened as he glanced over at Bern's profile.

"Your father never much cared for Narnians. I'm glad to see you do. Something had to change, I'm glad you were that change." Bern answered, smiling at his king.

"You should be glad you weren't there to see this "change" as you put it. It was not easy, and I must admit, I didn't help at times either. Without the Kings and Queens of Old, I don't know what might have happened."

""_We are all flawed beings. But it is what we choose to do about these flaws that makes us better, or destroys us. A great man does not become so without first failing many tests."_ King Edmund the Just. He wrote many excellent books in his life; my girls have read them all." Bern commented.

"I didn't know. There is much I wish I knew about them. You must have several of his books here, if I someday come back, after this, I would very much like to read them." Caspian replied.

"So it shall be." Bern replied softly, looking at the waves crest and their white foam caps dash against the rock foundation of his home.

"I noticed all your children speak in Trader's Talk, why is that?" Caspian asked after both had lapsed into silence.

"Because, there are so many people living here from different nationalities, that it is much simpler to all speak in one tongue." Bern replied.

"An excellent idea." Caspian responded absently, watching clouds suddenly arise in the east. Below them there was a great thrashing of the waves, and several water horses plunged up onto the shore, screaming for their foals and whinnying to each other nervously. They paced, and the stallions blocked the mares off from the water, giving shrill warnings if a foal came to close. A green mist crept over the water, sounds whispering eerily, as if there were beings in the thick of it.

"What is that?" Caspian asked. Turning to Bern, he noticed the man had gripped the railing and his jaw was set firmly as he stared out over the waves.

"I did not think it would come tonight." The Lord muttered, his gaze hard.

"_What_?" Caspian tried again.

"The mist was first seen in the east, and then came the reports of fishermen and sailors, disappearing out at sea. Where it came from? No one knows. The other Lords, my friends, told me they were going to find the source of the mist, to destroy it. They each set sail, but none came back." Bern said, head bowed as he spoke.

Caspian looked back over the waves, wondering if there was a way to defeat it. Innocent people must not die to feed a mist. As they were standing there, Wrenn flew up and landed next to Bern. "The _Dawn Treader _will be here shortly Master, your Majesty. In fact, she should just be rounding into view now." The bird looked out at the water, sighting the mist he turned back to his employer.

"You've told him I suppose?" He inquired.

"Yes, but there is not much one can do."

"We don't know that for a fact." Wrenn replied before he flew away.

"Come I believe Wrenn said your ship was coming into port." Bern walked back into the lighted dining hall, laughter drifting out from the merry dancers. Caspian looked back at the mist before walking after him.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

"I knew I shouldn't have come!" Susan whispered. She and Lucy had come away from talking with the wolf. The Narnian animal had told them about her stay in the prison, but about who she was or how she got there she refused to speak. It was almost as if she felt she couldn't trust them or something. But, it _was_ dark, and names _were_ rather useless when you couldn't see faces, if Susan had allowed her to speak of who they were. But her older sister was being cautious, and had refused speaking of their titles.

"Why shouldn't you have come?" Lucy asked, turning to her sister from where she lay on her side trying to rest after the long day.

"Lucy, you're not a mother, so you can't possibly understand. I should not have left my son. He's barely a little boy! I knew better." Susan said, her voice breaking.

"Oh Susan, I'm sorry, I can't believe I forgot, but with everything that's happened, please forgive me. We'll find a way to get back, you'll see." Lucy sat up and came and put her arm around her sister.

"I told you, you're not a mother, mothers never forget. I can imagine now how worried Mum was for us all those years ago." Susan smiled sadly as she thought about that day.

Lucy didn't reply, she just sat next to her sister and gave the only thing she knew how to give at that moment, an unwavering strength that everything would turn out alright.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

Eustace banged against the bars again. "I demand to be released! You can't hold me against my will, this is barbaric! I'll have the British Consul on you!" His words echoed down into the dank corridor, causing Edmund to grimace at the naivety and stupidity of them.

"Oh will you shut up! Don't you understand anything yet? No one is going to save us, no one cares, and no one is coming! The only people who are coming will be the Slavers to take us to the auction!" Edmund stood to his full height as he spoke; he had been quiet until now. He didn't raise his voice above a whisper, but he didn't need to, the venom and hate in it got his words across easily.

Eustace stared up at the older boy, momentarily shocked. "You mean, you mean to say…" The boy blustered.

"Yes, I mean to say we're going to be auctioned off. Sold as slaves to the highest bidder. Unless Caspian is alright, or Aslan intervenes, we are all going to _die_ slaves." Edmund replied pointedly.

"Unless, they choose to feed you to the mist." The old, hoarse voice called out from the darkness. Edmund turned from Eustace and stared into the black recesses of the prison cell.

"Who's there?" He called out sharply.

"No one, just a voice in my head." The old man replied, walking out into the torchlight of the prison cell. Edmund walked up to him while Eustace ran back to the opposite wall, as far away as he could get from the stranger.

"Edmund, Cousin, please, come away, we don't know who he is, let's keep it that way!" He called out, looking nervously into the darkness.

"What do you mean about this mist, old man? Who are you, and know now, whether or not you choose to believe it, that you are addressing Edmund the Just, King of Old Narnia." Edmund said, ignoring Eustace.

"A king? Edmund the Just? I wish I could say I know it, but I don't believe I do anymore, my memory doesn't serve me as well as it used to. I do believe you though, for you acted like a ruler as you stated those dark truths to your servant there." the old man replied, motioning to Eustace.

"Him, oh he's not my servant; he is related to me by blood, though he doesn't act like it." Edmund smiled slightly. The other man roared with laughter.

"A king with a coward for a relation! Forgive me, but I have not found much to amuse me in all these twenty years in this cell, and that is found quite so, to an old man who no longer hears of a good jest. And my name is Adonijah, your Majesty." He bowed amidst his laughs.

"Well, Adonijah, what was that about mist?" Edmund asked.

"A green mist, it is fed a daily sacrifice by the Slavers, to protect the people of Narrowhaven. I know not much of it, for I was put in here not long after it appeared. I do know a wealthy man lost his only son to it all those years ago. It was then that I heard, from the many that have been in here since then, about the sacrifice. I've yet to await my fate, but with each day I believe it will be as sacrificial lamb to the mist."

"At least you and I have come to accept that things such as these will happen, while my 'relation' has yet to do so." Edmund said with a slight grin. Their fate would be grim, but laughter was always better then sorrow.

"Yes, it is not much for nobility, such as you, but as long as you are not a coward, and have lived bravely, I believe any death can be made noble. Some king said that I believe, but I paraphrase and botch the stirring effect of it." Adonijah frowned as he tried to recall where he'd heard the quote. But Edmund remembered faster.

"High King Peter. He was my brother. He said something like that in a speech he was giving on the twelfth year of freedom from the White Witch, he was talking about all those who had died by her hand."

"Very well, I shall take your word for it, as a younger mind is a surer mind." Adonijah admitted.

"Sometimes. I was not a sure mind when I was young. It took some doing to get where I am now." Edmund declared thoughtfully.

"Doesn't it for everyone? I know I wouldn't be here I had been more careful. I was an abolitionist of the slave trade, but I wasn't much liked, and for my sins I was put in here, to be quieted so they could continue their trade in human flesh. If I ever see the sun again, though that time will surely mean my death, I will shout the cause of the slaves so every man can hear and know that it is wrong!" Adonijah spoke with such fervour that Edmund smiled. He had been like that once. A man to be heard. But that was too many years ago to count. A lifetime if one thought about it.

"Well, my new friend, come out of the shadows and join us, for we know not our fate either, but as Narnians, we need not be afraid to pass from this world."

"I believe I will hold you to that Sire." Adonijah laughed as he walked back with Edmund.

So, the three prisoners sat in the dim torchlight, two knowing that death was not the end, no matter how fearsome, and one hoping that he could somehow get away from his annoying cousin and this batty old man, back to his house and all logical things.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

"Caspian! How are you, considering these unfavorable turn of events?" Drinian asked, upon entering the study where Lord Bern and Caspian were once again talking over the plans. He had just arrived with the ship in port and was ushered into the study by an over-eager little girl in lilac purple and white.

"As well as can be considered. Drinian, this is the Lord Bern, Bern; this is my captain and friend, Drinian." Caspian made the introduction and the men shook hands, smiling.

After welcoming the ship, Fern and Celandine had quickly taken charge of caring for the little prince, as they loved babies, and Lily was too grown up to take care of anymore. Drinian had left Rynelf in charge of the ship.

"Before we begin, is this a girl's school or something of that nature, because…?" Drinian let the sentence hang, looking to Bern for the answer.

"No, no those are my daughters! I'm sorry; they can be slightly overwhelming if you don't expect them." Bern laughed, remembering Caspian's expression of mystification when he'd first met his daughters.

"Yes, they can. Now for the plan?" Drinian asked.

"Yes, I'm afraid it means more sailing around the north of Avra for you though. Straight down this channel again, captain, but run up all the King's banners, hang out all the shields and have as many men on deck and armed as you can without it slowing your movement through the channel. And about five lengths hence, when you get the open ocean on your port bow, run up a few signals."

"Signals? To whom there's no one else but us." Drinian said in confusion.

"Why, to all the other ships you haven't got, but which it might be well that Gumpas _thinks_ we have." Bern said with a grin.

Drinian rubbed his hands together, realizing the joke in this. "Oh _I_ see. And they'll read our signals. What shall I say?" Drinian asked, getting into the spirit of things. _"Whole fleet round the South of Avra and assemble at? - " _

"Bernstead," said Lord Bern. "That'll do excellently. Their whole journey - if there _were_ any such ships - would be out of sight from Narrowhaven."

"I'll sail out now, and be ready in the morning to do this. I heard from one of the servants that Arran has been injured, how is the lad?" Drinian inquired.

"He's going to be fine, just so long as he doesn't get any ideas into his head." Caspian said, smiling. Arran was quite stubborn when it came down to it.

"Very well, I shall be going, is there anything else I must do?" Drinian waited expectantly at the door.

"No, that will be all, the rest of the plans I can attend to myself, Drinian, Sire." Bern walked to his desk and started to write, Caspian left with Drinian, as it was obvious that Bern would be occupied for a while. Bern quickly wrote the messages, and then called Wrenn to deliver them to all his loyal Narnian friends.

"Tomorrow will be a day you won't forget, Governor." Bern muttered, staring out over the dark ocean before returning to his family, it was well past the time for them to be in bed.

* * *

**A/N: **

**Bern's study, yes there are private libraries that cover two stories. I think you can picture how that would look. Those "double doors" I described are in reality French doors, I think you all know what those look like, right? I couldn't mention "French doors" in Narnia because that isn't something one writes into a Narnian story. **

**I realized as I wrote Bern's character, that he would've known Caspian's father, hence Bern sees much of Caspian the IX in our Caspian. Another thing, Caspian's mother is never mentioned, so I assume she died of something not long after he was born, and he never knew his father, so he must have been four or five when the king died. **

**"Raptor means "bird of prey" hence, I decided to use the word in my writing. **

**I dislike, with a vengeance, the actor used for Drinian in the movies. Drinian didn't look like that at all! He had thick dark curly hair and it says in the book he was handsome, {So, I assume he was about in his twenties - early thirties}**

* * *

**Where Caspian and Bern are talking, I enjoyed playing with Caspian's emotions. When I first watched the movies and read the books, I realized that he has an anger problem, and he also has difficulty being patient. In the book he doesn't go with the Pevensies to meet Aslan, he is told to sail back to Narnia, because of his anger. {Don't worry, we'll change that, there is the movie, remember.} **

**I don't know if any of you can tell this, but it's just a vibe I picked up watching and reading. It shows up mostly in Prince Caspian, but in the VOTDT movie, where they're in the prison cell, remember who's sitting down {Edmund} and who's banging against the door {Caspian} letting out some frustration in violence. I always found this curious, so I play around with this as much as possible. **

**Most of the dialogue in the beginning is from the book, but it takes place on board the **_**Dawn**__**Treader,**_** not at Bernstead**_**.**_

* * *

**I thought, why can't I still use the prison scene, just because Caspian and the Lord Bern aren't in it, because they've been put in correct context, doesn't mean we still can't have a green mist conversation in the prison cell. So, cue Adonijah! I don't know, I liked the idea of there being an abolitionist in prison. It would be logical, considering how twisted everything has gotten on the Islands. **

**On to another subject; I think it is very plausible that Edmund would've written books when he was a king, or written **_**something**_** of value. He was supposedly the wisest, most just, equitable king ever to grace a Narnian throne; it would be against all principle if he **_**hadn't**_** written anything. That's another thing I dislike about the movie VOTDT, Edmund isn't portrayed very wise. **

**They play him down to make Caspian seem more grown up. The scene with the water that turns things to gold, Caspian, {in the books} starts the fight, _not_ Edmund. Edmund is not a subject of Caspian's he's a king too, and if one was to really get into it, Caspian is under him. {That's another thing, technically Caspian is under all the four, and Peter is above his three siblings, and Aslan reigns superior over Peter. But that's for another day….}**

**How did you like my use of the green mist? I kept most of the script from the film, but didn't add the sacrifice scene {yet}. I thought it wasn't bad. Oh, I'm pretty sure water horses never make an appearance again.**

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**I'm glad you liked Bern. I also couldn't wrap my head around that small detail the script writers seemed to have forgotten. I don't like the third film much either. I ****TOTALLY**** would've written the script different as well! My siblings and I watch it, and I hate to admit it, but parts where things just don't make sense we mock, or like this one; we create stories for:**

* * *

**From Voyage of the _Dawn Treader:_**

"**That's an old Narnian sword." ~ Edmund**

"**Yes, it's from your Golden Age. There are seven such swords, gifts from Aslan to protect Narnia." ~ Lord Bern**

_**Whoa**_**, **_**whoa**_**! Hold ****everything****! Aslan gave those Telmarines, **_**Telmarines**_** mind you, magical weapons to protect Narnia?! I have grave doubts about such things. Now, here's something else to think about:**

* * *

**From Prince Caspian:**

"**Why has Aslan let this happen?" ~ {can't remember, I **_**think **_**Lucy says this}**

"**Aslan? Thought he abandoned us when you lot did." ~ Trumpkin. **

**Aslan **_**left,**_** {vanished, poof, is goners!} after the Pevensies disappeared. So how, come again, did Bern and his buddies get those ****_seven_ **_**magic-**__**bearing **__**blades**_**? Now, remember this:**

"**All this proves is that they've taken yet another thing from us!" ~ Nikabrik, {Prince Caspian, the gathering in the woods}**

* * *

**Now, pretend he's not just talking about how the Telmarines took these said items: **

**"homes, land, lives, and a magic horn belonging to Queen Susan." **

**But he's also talking about ****_seven_ **_**magic-bearing **__**swords**_** belonging to seven protectors of Narnia, as valuable as the Pevensies things. Note, the Black Dwarf says "thing" not "land, lives and homes" Which means that the Telmarines have taken "portable items" and not just the land. **

**See, can't you imagine the seven Lords breaking into the old Treasure Room at the ruins of Cair Paravel {or perhaps a tomb somewhere?}, after listening to some old Narnian or other they come across in the forest tell tale of seven magical swords that will keep their owners from harm. These seven men have to run away from Miraz who would see them killed happily. It might seem like good sense to have such great weapons by their sides in this hour of need. They think. Sadly, each Lord meets with a mysterious circumstance, ultimately ending in their doom. **

**For Bern: Lifelong Prison. {By VOTDT book, he never went back to Narnia, Fear ruled him over what might happen to himself if he returned} **

**Octesian: Turned Into A Dragon**

**Three of 'em: Eternal Sleep. {They were fighting over who knows what}**

**Restimar: Tempted by Gold, got made a statue for his troubles. **

**Rhoop: Stuck on Dark Island and is driven mad by things he's shown. {What was he shown I wonder?} **

**Yes, those blades were gifts, yes, they were magical, but not to them. Those blades became their curse. Possession is nine-tenths of the law people say. Very well, you can own everything that comes with the responsibility of those blades. Including the magic that has been crafted into it, which can work for you, or against you. **

**{Remember, Peter's sword, Rhindon, glowed blue, so it also was magic, magic Peter knew how to use. But Peter was a Narnian at heart, those Lords were merely Telmarines, and descendants of pirates to boot.} **

**There just happened to be seven Narnian swords made to protect. Those seven Telmarine Lords needed protection. Narnians are long dead, they thought, so who will care what we do? Surely no one would refuse men such as us the right to have something for security when nights are dark and we have not a friend in the world? **

**Ah! But you forgot the tale told you, only the _seven protectors_ may bear those swords, it is their right and duty. They are gone, but Narnia lives on, **_**their**_** duty done, while **_**yours**_** has only just begun. {Couldn't help rhyming that} **

**If they had been true followers to their dead king, they would've stayed to protect Prince Caspian, instead of running for their lives. For what is noble death if you die protecting something right and true? They were afraid, and so they were punished by Aslan. With the very weapons they hoped would protect them. **

**Now, ILoveFanfiction, I'm not saying this is true, or that this is what the script writers were thinking about. But I'm just sayin'. The reason for Telmarines having magical Old-Narnian swords is unlikely, unless you think in this way. I'm thinking of posting the story I wrote about it. I probably will. Tell me what _you_ think.**

**~o0o~**

**Also, many thanks for pointing out that flaw in chapter 3! I also thought it seemed weak, and there are several parts that I don't like. I will work hard on that in the future. I'm so glad you pointed that out, I'll never get offended, I love things like that, and it does helps me get better! **

**And yes, that line _is_ in the movie, and I _did_ base the previous story off of it! {I was beginning to wonder if anyone would notice…} I'm still musing over Arran and Azalea. The pirates have a big part to play, but I'm just slightly stumped on how to put it in without changing the book and movie too much. Look forward to Gael and Rhince.**

**I'm not doing much of Eustace right now at the start because he's going to get several whole chapters {the voyage from his point of view}. In the book, Caspian and everyone else stays on at the Lone Islands for two weeks, or something like that, so yes, Bern's daughters will have many more parts! **

**{Wow, this is a long personal answer to you, I hope I have answered your questions to your satisfaction!}**

* * *

**Happy reading! ~ W.H. **


	6. A Strategy Peter Would Be Proud Of

**Chapter Six: A Strategy Peter Would Be Proud Of**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

The sunlight fell through the narrow barred window on the cell Susan, Lucy and the Stars were in. Lucy woke instantly, remembering everything that had happened. Both the Stars were watching them intently.

"What is it?" She whispered, noticing Susan was still sleeping. "_Thank goodness," _Lucy thought, Susan needed the rest, even if it was in these conditions.

"We were just remembering what sleep was like. You know, reminiscing." Gavan replied quietly.

"You don't sleep?" She asked, looking at them oddly. That was another strange thing about Stars she had to remember.

"Your Highness, when one chooses to spend their life lighting the night sky, don't you think it would be rather fruitless to need to sleep?" Zephyr questioned.

"I never thought about it that way." Lucy responded, thinking about it.

"Not many would think it at all. It is rather odd, to say the least. We do rest, but, only if we have tested our strength and magic to the limit. We've used a lot, but we're not there yet." Gavan said with a grin.

They all jumped, and Susan woke when the grinding of rusted hinges was heard. Pug and his cronies entered the cell with the she-wolf in it. Gavan and Zephyr exchanged looks, knowing that this might be the last they saw of each other. Their fate was once again in Aslan's control. Lucy reached for her sister's hand, and Susan smiled tightly at her before turning back to stare pensively at the door to their cell.

"Come 'ere beastie. Grab 'er men! 'Ey, who took this off? No matter, come on!" There was scuffling and snarling. Then nothing. Moments later a woman cried out. But before the four could give that much thought, Pug appeared in their doorway.

"Eh, time's up! It'll git better in the sun! Come on now, let's not git feisty on me." Pug said, tying Lucy's hands after she tried to run past him.

"Let go of me you monster!" Lucy cried out when he twisted her wrist. Pug ignored her as he shouted orders to his men.

"Grab the others. Dev, git those Stars in order, put those chains back around their necks, we can't 'ave 'em get all weird on us at biddin' time." Pug muttered, pushing Lucy and Susan out ahead of him. Lucy looked around in the corridor for the white she-wolf, but the only beings there were Hf and Gret, holding the ropes of a girl who looked no older than Lucy. The two ropes tied the girl's arms to her sides and she had on a dirty white dress that was torn up one side. Her black hair had obviously been up at one point, but was now falling down around her face in a curly mess. Iron hung off her like jewelry.

As Lucy, Susan and the Stars walked past, she stared at them wildly. Her green eyes pleading for help of any kind. _Green_ _eyes_. Lucy turned her head to take another look at the girl, but they had turned a corner and she was now out of sight.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

Edmund woke with a groan, remembering where they were when he saw the darkened corridor and burning torch. Adonijah came up to him and shook him.

"They're coming, I can hear them, get up, get ready, you don't want to be kicked by that great oaf." He whispered hurriedly. Edmund managed to get Eustace off the floor before Pug came in.

"Ah, well Adonijah, it seems as if the man who fought against slavery is becoming a slave." Pug sneered, shackling the man and pushing him out to the other Slavers waiting in the corridor. Edmund scowled when he hit his head on the barred door while he was being shoved out. Curse growing up, it made doors far too small. And with Eustace grumbling and shouting, causing Pug to gag him before they even made it halfway out, the journey to the surface was all the more agonizing.

Edmund winced against the bright sunlight as they were led to the auction grounds. If only he could see Susan and Lucy, to know that they were alright! It was driving him insane to not know what had happened to them.

"You'll sit 'ere until I come fer ya." Pug muttered, shoving the boys and Adonijah down against a wall. Edmund scowled as the locks clicked on the shackles, tying him to the wall. The Auctioneer, Donovan, who was enjoying this day immensely, shouted loudly about the slave he had on the stand. Moments later he cried "Sold!" energetically, as if he loved watching people suffer, and the sound of gold clinking into the coffers.

Edmund caught sight of Gret and Hf dragging on two long ropes, attached to something fighting against them aggressively, but the crowds soon blocked his view of the person or animal fighting so fiercely.

"Look here, a beautiful- well, isn't she a tigress? No delicate flower her! I bet that with time and enough of Captain Pug's un-magic-ing iron she could be easily controlled, eh men?" Donovan called into the crowd of men here to bid on slaves. The men laughed raucously at the auctioneer's statement. Edmund managed to get a glimpse of the girl on the platform, and when he did, he knew he needed to get a closer look if at all possible.

"Sold, to you sir!" Donovan pointed with his dagger to a Calormen in the crowd. The dark man came forward with several crescents. Edmund was glad that Merchant's Tongue was the language spoken by all these men, it made this less overwhelming. A few moments later he watched as Gavan was brought to the platform. He put up a good fight, but in the end, iron was his downfall. If Aslan couldn't save them, Edmund knew this was going to be his longest Narnia adventure yet.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

Lucy, from where she sat in the corner for sold slaves, marveled at how calm Susan looked standing on the platform. Her hair that had fallen out of its braid blew away from her face in the breeze. She kept her head up, and stared out at the sea of faces as if she didn't care that they would soon decide her fate. She was a wonderful queen, even when she wasn't acting the part.

Lucy also noticed that from an outsider's point of view, her sister was seen as exceptionally beautiful. She really was as bewitching as a siren. Lucy also though with a smile that the men would've just stared at her until the end of the day, if not for the auctioneer.

Suddenly a commotion from the far end stopped all talk of numbers. Everyone turned to see what was going on. Lucy tried to see over the heads of people, but every time she did, the servant of the man who had bought her pushed her back to the dirt floor.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

At Bernstead the next morning after breakfast, Drinian once again sailed to the docks. "Everything has been done accordingly." The captain said with a nod when Bern and Caspian arrived to greet him.

"Good, now for the hardest part." Bern gave a brief rerun through the plan in case any parts of it had been forgotten. He asked Caspian to order every man into the boats.

"And above all, let everything be neat and trim, as if it were the morning of the first great battle between noble kings with the entire world looking on." This was done and they set out for Narrowhaven in three boats, Caspian with his men and Bern with several of his.

When they reached the jetty at Narrowhaven, Caspian and Drinian found a considerable crowd assembled to meet them.

"This was the last bit of the plan I told you I would attend to." Bern explained quickly. "They are all friends of mine, and good, honest people."

As soon as the Narnians stepped onto the shore the crowd broke out shouting as if it was the victory of some enormous battle. It reminded him of the war he'd fought with the Pevensies.

"Long live Narnia, Long live the King!"

Almost as soon as this shouting broke fourth, several bells in the city started pealing. This was again because of the messages Bern had sent by Wrenn the night before. Caspian nodded to the young man holding the flag and he unfurled it, the red lion on a gold background fluttering regally in the breeze.

At first, people only shouted who knew from Bern what was going on. But the festiveness was infective. The soldiers and the fact that a king had come to Narrowhaven after so long was something worth cheering for, a handsome king versus an old governor? It was easy to see the victor of that contest. People opened windows and cheered. Soon children ran down the streets, dogs barking at their heels, while the children shouted about a parade.

Young men and women laughed and shouted along with them. If one was planning on bluffing there way in, there was no better way to do it. It was a plan even Peter would've admired. By the time the castle gates were reached, it could have been said that almost the entire city was shouting 'long live the king'. The Governor, from where he was situated in his office, going over accounts and trade laws, even heard the cries.

"The King of Narnia has arrived to see his trusted and well-beloved servant, open the gates!" One of Caspian's soldiers shouted. It was a great while before any noise came from the grey walled castle, and soon a grinding of hinges could be heard. But instead of the large gates being opened, a small door creaked inward, and a man in old rusted armor and holding a bent pike came out.

"You can't see his Sufficiency, except between nine and ten p.m. second Saturdays of every month, and if you don't have an appointment, or it ain't the second Saturday you're outta luck mate." The man said, turning to go back. Rynelf slid his spear out, tripping the man.

"Watch your tongue, vermin; you speak to the King of Narnia!" He shouted angrily.

"Hey, what's all this here?" the gatekeeper cried from where he'd fallen on the ground, but he was ignored. Six men walked through the postern and after a while managed to throw open the gates. As they walked into the courtyard, several soldiers poured out of various rooms. These men were Governor's soldiers, and might have fought if they'd had someone to lead them. Caspian gave them no time to think about fighting anyone though.

"Where's your captain?" He called. A young man without any armor at all and long reddish brown hair, leaning against a wall, smiled in a lazy, carefree way. "I am, more or less, if you know what I mean."

"Well, it is our request that this visitation to these Islands should be one of peace and joy, otherwise I might see fit to question your appearance. As it is, you are pardoned. Command a cask of wine to be opened, that you and your men may drink to Narnia, but at noon tomorrow I wish to see you and your men in this yard looking more like men-at-arms and not like vagabonds. See to it on pain of our extreme displeasure."

The captain gaped, but Caspian's men quickly covered it by giving a rousing cheer. And the Governor's soldiers, who had understood about the wine even if they understood nothing else, joined in heartily. Caspian ordered most of his men to stay there and keep the peace, but he took Rynelf, Forenth, Timothy, and Evren, along with Bern and Drinian, into the hall.

At the far end sat the Governor of the Lone Islands, Gumpas, surrounded by his lawyers and secretaries. He was a tall, thin man, who once had thick red hair, but it was now mostly grey and balding at the temples. He glanced up at the seven strangers as they walked in, ignoring the servant griping at their sides. Gumpas returned to his papers and said automatically what he did in these occasions.

"No interviews without appointments except between nine and ten p.m. on second Saturdays. Greenely, send them out."

Caspian scowled and reached for his sword, but Bern stopped him, it would be of poor quality to murder the man, even if he _was_ worthless in keeping around. The Lord nodded to Drinian and they walked past Caspian and each man grabbed two of the four corners of the table. Before anyone in the room could think fast enough, they had tossed the table against the wall, spilling a cascade of ink, quill pens, dossiers, sealing-wax and documents onto the floor. Then they grabbed Gumpas by an arm each and removed him gently, but firmly, from his chair to the ground in front of it and motioned for Caspian to move to the now vacant chair.

He did, removing Rhindon from its scabbard and laying the blade across his lap. Gumpas gaped at the glinting steel. He'd never seen anything so well made since the seven swords owned by those Telmarine men from Narnia twenty years ago.

"My Lord," Caspian bent his head to stare hard at the man on the floor, "You have not given us the welcome we expected. We are the King of Narnia."

"Nothing about it in the correspondence," muttered the Governor from where he was kneeling on the floor. "Nothing in the minutes. We have not been notified of such things, all irregular, happy to consider all applications-" Caspian interrupted him, he was tired of this, Susan and the others were far more important than anything else at the moment, but _protocol _must be followed first… Aslan curse it…

"We are here to inquire into your Sufficiency's conduct of your office. There are two points especially on which I require an explanation. First I find no record that the tribute due from these Islands to the crown of Narnia has been received for about a hundred and fifty years."

Here Gumpas spoke up and interrupted: "And that would be a question to raise at the Council next month, if anyone moves that a commission of inquiry be set up to report on the financial history of the Islands at the first meeting next year, why then, by all means…."

Caspian continued talking as if the man wasn't speaking. "I also find it very clearly written in the old laws that if the tribute is not delivered, the whole debt is to come from the Governor's private coffers."

At this Gumpas started to pay real attention, for the easiest way to get through to a man such as he is to talk of money, _that_ they understand. "Oh, that is quite out of the question! It is an economic impossibility-er-you Majesty must be merely joking." Inside Gumpas was wondering if there was any way to get rid of this young man and his unwelcome friends.

Had he known that Caspian had only one ship and one ship's company with him, he would have spoken soft words for the moment, and hoped to have them killed during the night. But he had seen a ship of war sail down the straits early that morning and seen it signaling, as he supposed, to its consorts. He had not then known it was the King's ship for there was not wind enough to spread the flag and make the red lion visible, so he had waited further developments. Now he imagined there to be a whole fleet at Bernstead. It would never have occurred to Gumpas that anyone would walk into Narrowhaven to take the Islands with less than fifty men; it was certainly not at all the kind of thing he could imagine himself doing, and therefore, couldn't imagine anyone else trying.

"For the second matter of state," Caspian blew over Gumpas's blustering, "I want to know why you have allowed slavery to grow and flourish on these Islands! Lowering the standard for Narnian civility the world over! Do you wish to take the kingdom Aslan has made great with freedom and freemen and run her reputation into the ground by trading slaves in her name? We are seen as the standard for all other countries as the one Aslan created, while mere men built the other kingdoms. But you even have the audacity to declare the trade right and good in my name as well! What is your great need for slaves anyway? Explain, stop muttering, my lenience grows shorter by the moment." Caspian tilted Gumpas's head up, so their eyes met, with the tip of his blade.

The Governor gulped before replying; "For export your Majesty. Sell 'em to Calormen mostly; but with Captain Pug many other markets are now open. We are a great center of the trade." Gumpas spoke almost proudly, as if he hadn't heard anything Caspian had said beforehand.

"You say that like it's a good thing, something I should be proud of as your king. Well, I am here to tell you it's not. For what other purpose does this act serve other than to place money in the pockets of one such as your "_Captain_ Pug"?"

"Well, pertaining to your Majesty's tender years, and the fact that you have not been king long, hardly make it possible that you should understand the economic problem involved. I have statistics, I have graphs, I have-" Gumpas was cut off by Caspian once again.

"Tender as my years may be," here Caspian smiled coldly, "I believe I understand this just as easily as your - _Sufficiency_. I have seen firsthand that this "profitable trade" brings nothing to these Islands that cannot be easily got elsewhere. But even if it did, I would have insisted it cease to be a manner of export."

"But that would be turning the clock back! Have you no idea of progress?" The Governor gasped.

"You know very well who I am, you also know that I am not Narnian, I am Telmarine. Yes I have seen slavery, and it once was very popular among my people. But if a man is free it is a thousand times more likely he will use every ounce of his energy to help you than if he was a slave. I have seen firsthand this "progress" and I have stopped it. It will be no different here." Caspian said, now waiting for the man to reply.

"Very well then, but I can take no responsibility for this, none whatever. No, it all falls on you, I can't have my reputation tarnished like this…" Gumpas muttered, looking bereft of the way this was heading, and what his mutterings meant for his position.

"Lord Bern, come here." Caspian commanded. Drinian moved the Governor out of the way as Bern knelt before Caspian. Drinian found the Islands' law and codebook for such things in the mess from the crushed desk. He handed it to Caspian, who turned to the page needed and had Bern swear to follow all rules and laws ruled upon by the king, as long as they were in the people's best interests.

"I have had enough of Governors, Bern I declare you Duke of the Lone Islands. And you are relieved of your office, as it seems to put a heavy burden on you, Gumpas. Now you and yours must be out of this residence by the following day, as it belongs to the Duke." Caspian declared with finality.

"Look here, we are all wise men of the law," Gumpas' lawyers spoke up, "But suppose you men stop playacting and we do a little business. The question before us really is-" he was cut off by Bern.

"The question is, whether you and the rest of the rabble will leave without a flogging or with one. You may choose which you prefer." Bern declared innocently.

The lawyers were quick to gather their things and flee the castle. Gumpas was not long in following them, as his residence was on the other side of Narrowhaven, and he could live there more comfortably than here. The seven men watched them go, but as soon as the doors were closed and the Narnians and Telmarines were alone, Drinian and Bern couldn't contain their laughter. The four soldiers gave triumphant shouts, because, they had just accomplished the impossible.

But Caspian's royal air of cool distance dissolved, he hurriedly sheathed Rhindon and started impatiently for the courtyard. Victory celebrations could wait, there were several people he had to find.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

When Forenth and Rynelf threw open the doors to the castle's stable to find mounts, the sight before their eyes was pitiful. Horses; mares, foals, and stallions alike, squealed joyfully to feel the warmth of the sun and the fresh breeze entering the stale building. Their coats were in outlandish condition, and their hooves were in great need of a farrier and new shoes. The stalls, all fifty of them, appeared to not have been tended to in quite some time.

Bern and Caspian soon had their men tying leads onto the beasts and leading them out to the courtyard. Many of the animals simply collapsed upon being led out to the sun, too weak to stand any longer. Bern ordered his men to get buckets and fill them with water to start washing the coats of the animals. As Caspian was leading out an older mare, he stopped, a black stallion stood in the farthest stall, his head over the door. His long black forelock was filled with dust and dirty straw, and the leather halter was falling to pieces on his face, but he stared patiently at the young king.

The old stallion reminded him of Destrier. He handed the mare's lead to one of his soldiers and walked back to the stallion. The horse didn't nudge him even when the lead in Caspian's hand was clearly visible. He waited until the king had tied the rope around his neck, as the halter was useless, to walk out of the stall even though the door was open, and he could've easily pushed past the king and run out.

And when Caspian led him out into the sun, the stallion merely lifted his head up to the breeze, before sighing softly, but nothing more, unlike several of the other horses who had tried to break loose. Brushing down the animal, Caspian came upon a strange brand on the horse's shoulder. The letters "A", "P" and "D" were interlaced in a swirly old-fashioned style.

"Bern!" Caspian called, seeing the man, who had been looking at the feet of one of the horses, having found a file in the stable, he was fixing the animal's hooves as best as possible.

"What is it my King?" The older man asked, coming up to him.

"This brand, I have never seen it before."

"This is unbelievable. I have only read of these horses." Bern whispered in amazement, looking the stallion over, checking his feet and looking in his mouth.

"What is it?" Caspian asked, as Bern stood looking at the huge stallion with a smile.

"This is a destrier stallion, of the stables of High King Peter and Queen Amalia! They bred the most magnificent horses of all time. No other war-horses will ever compare. You see, the "A" stands for "Amalia", "P" for the High King, and "D" for "Destrier" If you look closely, there is a swirled old-Narnian letter in the middle, standing for "of". The entire brand states "Destrier of Peter and Amalia"." Bern explained.

"But how could there still be horses like this? That was nearly fourteen hundred years ago." Caspian stated, looking bewildered.

"There are several rare strains supposedly existing. There is the tale of the last Narnian king sending a galleon to the Lone Islands filled with forty mares and seven stallions, to keep the breed alive. There is also the tale of a war-horse found on the Telmarine side by the king's son, and that he was a Narnian horse from King Peter and Queen Amalia's stables, but if either of those stories was true or not, no one could prove until now." Bern marveled.

"He's at least seventeen, if not more so, the age when he would've been retired as a training horse for younger stallions, or given to a high official in the Cavalry as a mark of their bravery. Though in Old Narnia, mares were used as well as stallions in battle." The Duke added.

"Were all their horses black?" Caspian asked curiously, thinking of his horse.

"No, black was one of five leading colors in the strain. Chestnut was the strongest, _then_ black, grey, blonde, and bay. Most had no markings to speak of except for the odd white star or socks." Bern replied.

"I think I'll ride him, he doesn't seem to be in as bad condition as many of the others are." Caspian said, surveying the busy yard.

"I'm going to find a mount as well, but now I must also find if any more of these animals have this particular brand." Bern muttered in reply, hurrying off.

There proved to be eight Old Narnian horses present. Most were the older horses. Dark Sky, the name of the stallion Caspian had chosen to ride; they discovered the name on a rusty plate tacked next to his stall, was proved to be a dependable mount. But when Caspian spurred him to a walk at first, the beast jumped into a headlong battle sprint. The stallion pranced around the tight circle Caspian turned him to, trying to encourage the stallion to slow. The horse gave a squeal of indignation at being curbed, but slowed obediently back to a walk.

"Rather spirited, much like Narnia, don't you say? But also very obedient to their masters." Bern commented, riding next to the king.

"Yes, he is _different_." Caspian replied as the horse fell into a lilting gait. It was odd, as if the horse were marching.

"What is this? I've never ridden the like." Caspian said, slowing the stallion to a walk.

"It's a gait the Old Narnians called "Parade" he walks as if in a parade march. All that breed of horse has six gaits. Walk, parade, trot, canter, gallop, and battle sprint. It must have been magnificent, rows and rows of these animals walking down a town street. You'll have to get used to the gait, as it is far more common than a walk. When we find the king and queens, ask them, they will most likely know greater than I." Bern said, falling back as the stallion once again moved forward eagerly.

"Very well. I suppose I have much to learn." Caspian mused with a smile, patting the animal on the neck.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

The crowds parted, many of the men bowing nervously when they saw the gold banner. Some even pulled their neighbors down to their knees, afraid to risk the anger of a king. Several feet away the shouting of Donovan could be heard calling out numbers, but his voice stopped as he saw the commotion.

Susan tilted her head up to look over the crowds, her eyes lit when she was the figure riding through all the men. "Caspian!" She shouted. The joy carried through her voice was not lost on several other slaves next in line. Lucy perked up at her sister's cry.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

Edmund and Adonijah struggled to see anything through the wall of bodies, but all they got for their troubles were muffled cries, and whispered voices. It was when he heard Susan's voice, and Edmund was certain it was her, cry out a name that meant rescue what he cheered up slightly.

"Caspian!"

Edmund turned to grin at Adonijah, and the old man looked back at him eagerly.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

Caspian looked up from talking with several newly freed slaves when he heard her shout his name. Without giving it much thought, he spurred the stallion into a canter. The horse responded energetically. Caspian stopped at the front of the platform and looked up at Susan; the horse's back several feet higher than the boards of the stand.

"I still say you need that horn." He said with a grin.

"Stop, I admit I might need it, now, untie me." She replied, laughing. She couldn't believe he still remembered that. He unsheathed a dagger and sliced through the ropes.

"My Queen." He said, grinning as he stood on the horse's back and joined her on the platform. The stallion shifted below them, but stayed still otherwise.

"Oh, I had hoped you'd come for us." Susan said, throwing her arms around him as she spoke.

"I would never leave you. Ever." He replied after kissing her. She smiled through her tears. This was far better than going back to England.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

"Here, let me help you." Drinian, walking behind the crowds so as not to be noticed for he was rather shy when it came to praise, nearly stumbled on Edmund, Eustace and Adonijah. The captain took a thin bit of metal and inserted it into the locks, forcing them open with a ticking sound.

"Thanks Drinian." Edmund replied, rubbing his wrists where the shackles had started to irritate his skin.

"And who is this man?" The captain asked, looking to a now standing Adonijah.

"Adonijah Odessimus. A former abolitionist of slavery, saved by you and King Caspian from almost becoming the very thing I had hoped to abolish." Adonijah said, shaking the captain's hand.

Edmund smiled and told Drinian that he was going to find Lucy and Susan. Walking to the path Caspian had cleared by cantering the stallion through the crowd; he looked up, and stopped dead in his tracks. He just had to be dreaming. This was an impossibility. He was going mad from being in that cell. It was just an uncanny likeness.

The young woman was standing still, as a soldier carefully cut the ropes bound tightly around her waist and arms. Her dress was torn, the hem was dirty as if she had walked through mud and there was dust and grim covering the entire outfit, making it an off-white color. Her long, curly black hair had been up in a once beautiful style, but several locks were now falling out of place, framing her face and trailing down her back.

She turned to walk in his direction, picking up the extra length of her skirt, her head down, watching where she walked, as she was barefoot. A Tarkaan moved past her, shoving her slightly to one side as he did, causing her to look up nervously. Their eyes met. She was still the same beautiful creature he remembered.

"Edmund!" She cried, running to him as she shouted his name. It was almost as if he'd just been away on a long trip and was back again, like it had been when he'd been king.

"Serene, I never thought I'd set eyes on you again." Edmund whispered when he had her in his arms.

"Aslan promised me." Serene replied softly.

"Forgive me for leaving you, I should have known, I should have listened to my conscience." He said before he kissed her, the love of a thousand years clearly displayed in that simple action.

"No, do not condemn yourself for something fate intended, no matter the years, my heart did not forget. I remembered, _fondly_." She whispered after they parted. He smiled at the phrase.

"Forever and into eternity." He replied.

"Yes." Serene said simply, looking up at him with love reflecting in her green eyes. The Just King and the only woman he could ever love stood together for some time, as everything else was forgotten and time seemed to fall away, making them once again a dark haired young man and raven haired girl with a love to last the test of the ages.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Well? What do you think?! I can't decide if I like it or not. Firstly; this is chapter is titled _"A Strategy Peter Would Be Proud Of"_ because in the last story, Edmund {in the Golden Age} told Serene that Peter could go into any city with ten untrained men and capture it, because he was that great. **

**This infiltration of the Islands is something Peter would've been proud of. Because it is something he would've done had he been there. A tribute to the High King if you will. **

**I believe I have taken a grand artistic license with Stars and their magical abilities. I'm pretty sure I've made these brothers mine, and their powers. I don't know if C.S. Lewis would have thought of anything like what I have. {which means no flames, criticism is fine, but...Just. No. Flames.} **

_**"The Auctioneer, Donovan, who was enjoying this day immensely."**_ **I did that in honor of C.S. Lewis. In his books: "The maid, who was still having a truly wonderful day." {or something along those lines} I wanted to do that, because I love those lines in the books so much. **

**Small side note, {this is something I noticed in the book, if you want to check it out for yourself the pages are: 44 &amp; 57} The price Bern paid for Caspian is the same number of years {pg. 44}that the Lone Islands have gone without paying tribute {pg. 57}. **

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**Most of the scenes in the Governor's castle and a few others are from the book, the lines of Gumpas and pretty much everyone else are just like the book. _Except _for Caspian's. The character in the movie is portrayed much more stronger by the actor, so, I had to draw up some different lines for him. **

**Literally. I sat down staring at a blinking cursor every morning for two days, trying to think of something that would sound plausible for him to say. Almost all of his actions in the hall I had to create as well, {once again playing off his character portrayed in the films} I'm not sure I'm entirely pleased with my work... **

* * *

**The hidden meaning behind "your tender years":**

**Gumpas is saying basically; "You have ruled for a grand sum total of three years. You are nothing. I have been Governor for twenty+ years. I think I know more about matters of state than you. Get lost boy-playing-king." That is the Governor's true opinion of him. **

**{In the movie, Caspian's age is somewhere around early twenties I suppose, so I'll let the matter pass. I've made him about twenty-four} Which, _is_ rather young if you think about it from a medieval POV. Not as much as seventeen though, But I digress.**

* * *

**I loved the show of utter defiance portrayed in tossing that table aside and having Caspian sit in the Governor's chair! I so wished they had used this in the movie, because it really makes you realize just how far Caspian has come from the second film, {fourth book, whichever you choose} **

**It gives me the picture of; "Ok, he's definitely a king now! if these men are willing enough to do this for him, without being asked, and with minimal protection if things go horrendously wrong."**

**It would've looked so awesome! Pity that. But you can't go berating the child for milk he's already spilled.**

* * *

"You know very well who I am, you also know that I am not Narnian, I am Telmarine. Yes I have seen slavery, and it once was very popular among my people. But if a man is free it is a thousand times more likely he will use every ounce of his energy to help you than if he was a slave. I have seen firsthand this "progress" and I have stopped it. It will be no different here." **~ This is my favorite part! {I don't know if the author is allowed to do that, I just thought about it, can he/she really like their own works? Hmm this will take some thought...} **

**(Stop digressing WildHorses, they don't care! Alright, alright, don't get all temperamental!) **

* * *

**I just had to make Caspian bring that back up, because I know he would've. He would've never let her forget _not_ taking that horn back. **

* * *

**I also like the idea of Lucy seeing how, to others, her sister really is some "great beauty" Because I don't think she would've really cared about being as beautiful as Susan. {That's so petty, and un-Lucy} She was beautiful in her own way; **

**"He was called King Peter the Magnificent. And Susan grew into a tall and gracious woman, with black hair almost to her feet and the kings of the countries beyond the sea began to send ambassadors asking for her hand in marriage. And she was called Queen Susan the Gentle. Edmund was a graver and quieter man than Peter, and great in council and judgment. He was called King Edmund the Just. But as for Lucy, she was always gay and golden haired, and all the princes in those parts desired her to be their Queen, her own people called her Queen Lucy the Valiant." ~ The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. **

**All that is to say, Susan had men ask for her hand, and Lucy had men ask for her hand, each was beautiful, but in different ways. {by the way, this passage also encourages my idea that they were close to the ages I guessed.}**

* * *

**Gumpas gaps at Rhindon, because, as it said, he hasn't seen any swords made so well. Nothing compares to Narnian steel crafted by Narnian dwarves. Telmarine steel, crafted by men, doesn't look half so nice. {_I_ think} ****Also, I give hint at what is about to occur with the seven swords.**

* * *

**Ok, about the horse thing. I'll admit it! I was bored, I needed a filler! {And perhaps my love of the animals had a _teensy_ bit to do with it too?} **

**I just love the idea of there still being some around, and the fact that Caspian learns about the horses, and he knows that both tales are true, because he has Destrier. Not the breed, now it's actually his horse. I mean seriously, wouldn't it be so totally cool to see something from the past? **

**And Bern leaves much to be imagined; **"It must have been magnificent, rows and rows of these animals walking down a town street."

** I mean, that leaves the question in Caspian's mind {and ours} of what must if have looked/been like in Narnia's Golden Age, when Narnians and Narnia reigned supreme over _everything?_ **

**When four nobles, who were as just as they were kind, ruled over whatever Aslan gave into their hands. Imagine, when Peter was High King, how fearsome it would have looked to Telmarines to watch this massive light cavalry in red and gold with Peter and Edmund at it's head, parade through their city streets when they went to see the Telmarine king! **

**Narnian armies seemingly stretching on forever, almost as great and glorious as Aslan and The Four itself! With these two Kings, one who never lost a single battle, a single war, and the other who was the wisest councilor and stratagem creator ever to grace a throne! **

**{Oh gosh, now I'm going on, must be what I dream about right? lol}**

**But I mean seriously, this has _got_ to sound cool! **

**Also, horses of refined breeding are marked with some sort of brand stating this, so the stallion would most likely have been branded, even so many years later.**

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**I don't know what to say, except that if it were possible, I'd give you buckets and buckets of thanks! You are so sweet! I don't know if my writing is that good or anything, but I love hearing that my readers enjoyed this stuff! **

**Now, about your questions: **

**Peter's sword only glows blue in the movie, _not_ the book. {So as to fit the movie plot better} **

**I was thinking about doing an entire chapter on Peter, no, it wouldn't be much to do with the younger two's adventure in Narnia, but his situation in the first story didn't have much to do with Prince Caspian, did it? {I can't remember! yikes, [gasps, shocked] must reread my own work!} It mostly stemmed from the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe though.**

**I'm glad you approved of Edmund writing several books in the Golden Age! {I wondered if you would catch that, by-the-way} **

* * *

**After this quintet is over, I will do a prequel on the Golden Age, so you can better understand the situation there. **

**Ah, hint, this story is about 'Change' the first one was about 'Faith and Hope'. Can you guess what the next one will be about? And, can you guess who and what will be changed before this tale comes to a close?**

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**I hope you liked this chapter, ~ W.H. **


	7. The Power To Change

**Chapter Seven: The Power to Change **

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Edmund and Serene hardly paid attention to anything going on around them, they were so caught up in one another. He inquired as to how she got here, and she told him briefly of how Pug had captured her. The tale caused him to become defensive, as he always had of her. She stopped him with a kiss and a smile.

"Everything is alright now. We're together. I am alive, you are alive. Aslan be praised." She said softly, placing her hand on his chest to keep him from walking passed her to seek out the Trader.

"Yes. I've found my Serene." He whispered.

"Truly. For as long as Aslan allows." She whispered back, wrapping her arms around his neck and laying her head on his shoulder.

"Come, we must find the others. And later we must talk; as there are so many things I have to tell you." She said, suddenly looking hesitant.

"Serene, what is it?" He asked, drawing her back to his side, cupping her cheek with his hand, and looking into her eyes.

"Somewhere more private. Not here." She said, looking around to state her point.

"All right, but the first moment we have to ourselves I shall bring this back to you. I'm not one for forgetting." He smiled.

"I know."

They both turned sharply as shouting ensued. The men seemed to shift into sides, Slavers and most of the Calormene on one side and on the other, slaves, Narnians and…pirates? Caspian was leader of the Narnians, and Pug with his bad grammar was the other. Edmund scowled when he realized what was going to happen.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

"I have come to announce that as of four hours ago, all the slaves are now free! Those who have paid for several of these men and women will be sure to have their money returned, Donovan will give it back, isn't that right sir?" Caspian said from where he was standing, looking out over the crowd of people, then to the auctioneer, his arm around Susan's waist.

Several men in the group laughed when they saw Donovan looking as a child might when he's told that he will have to give up a toy.

"I don't know about this. 'Ow can we trust this man? 'E claims to be a King, but is 'e just a liar, 'ere to stop our profitable trade?" Pug spoke loudly from the back of the crowd, surrounded by perhaps seventy Slavers and angry Calormen who didn't like the prospect of losing their slaves. Caspian's gaze hardened when he saw the Slaver. Before he could reply though, a voice spoke up from the right.

"Oh, come now, Pug. I really think that as a pirate, you're lower than the belly of your vessel! Everyone here knows you're a cheat and a liar! You would've just left me to die, but your fear of my men is what kept you from doing so! Well, I'm here to tell you that _we_ might be thieves, liars, murderers and scoundrels, but we don't take kindly to the likes of men such as you! Pirates, even men like us, have standards that we abide by!"

Everyone turned to see the blonde young man standing on a rooftop, dozens of men standing around him and spread across other housetops, their shortswords and curved scimitars gleaming wickedly in the sunlight. Several sailors of the _Dawn_ _Treader_ stood in the cobblestone streets below, blocking off any hope the Slavers might have had for escape.

"I wondered if you might need my help. I've added at least sixty more men to your side. I wasn't about to miss this!" Arran grinned broadly as he jumped to a balcony, before jumping finally to the street, looking quite proud of himself.

"'Ow'd you git so well so fast?" Pug asked, staring at the young man in disbelief.

"Don't you recall? You said so yourself. I'm a, "devil", was it? Yes. That's what you said. Wake up you imbecile! I'm a Star! Do you really think that with all this magic I wouldn't be able to heal myself?" Arran scoffed at the Slaver in mock disbelief as his men laughed at Pug.

"Well, I-I, din't think, I mean, you seem-" Pug blustered.

"I know. It's too complex for you to wrap your midget mind around. That aside, you threatened the King, _my_ King. No one threatens my King, not while I'm alive and well enough to fight for him! Oh, and of course, my men have been waiting weeks to shed some blood." Arran motioned to his crew, who were grinning like a band of savages and shouting in support of everything he said.

"I thought, I've been neutral long enough, I need something energizing to do, I need a side to fight on. Why not this?" Arran said with a devilish grin as he unsheathed his blade, as many of the Slavers and Calormen had already done.

"We can finish this boy, come on!" Pug shouted, many of the Slavers joining him in fighting the pirates. Arran and Caspian's men charged out of alleys and off the roofs, yelling and screaming.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

Edmund pulled Serene behind a wall.

"Stay here until I come back." He commanded firmly. He remembered her as she was, without magic.

"Edmund, wait. Aslan left me something. A gift." She held up her hands and let the magic flow around them as a warm glow. He looked at her and smiled.

"Good, then you can help!" He said, walking back into the fray, grabbing a blade from a dead Slaver. She blasted another man to the ground. "Edmund, catch!" She cried, tossing the man's sword to him. "We were always a swell team!" He shouted, crossing his blades and felling another man. "Yes!" She replied, blasting a man who tried to come up behind Edmund. They fought well, she killing the men who were coming up behind Edmund and he injuring or killing the ones coming up behind her.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

Caspian pulled Susan behind him and unsheathed Rhindon, as the Slavers and Calormen tried to grab for them. "Caspian, I'll be fine, you have to help Drinian, go!" Susan shouted, reaching for a shortsword that had been dropped on the platform by its deceased owner. She motioned to where Drinian was trying to fend off six men at once. "Are you sure?" He asked, looking concerned. Suddenly a man jumped onto the platform from the roof behind them.

"I'm Captain Arran's first mate, I'll protect the Queen. Go help your men!" The tall dark skinned man said, knocking three men off the platform with his long broadsword in demonstration.

"Thank you." Caspian nodded in recognition before leaving to help Drinian. After helping his captain, and fighting his way through several more Slavers, he found himself back to back with someone. He tilted his head to see who it was. Arran flashed him a smile.

"I had been hoping you were dead, I could've had your ship, two really is better than one. But well, you're alive and so then, here I am, come to help! I never go back on my word." Arran said breathlessly. Caspian managed to fend off several more men. Having a moment to them, he turned to look at Arran. The young man was leaning against the wall breathing heavily. He smiled gingerly at Caspian. But the king knew something was off. Arran moved his arm from around his waist to motion for the king to keep fighting and leave him, and that was when Caspian figured out what was wrong.

The Star's silver blood had soaked through his white shirt and sleeve. He grimaced when Caspian came back to him. "Go, go. I'm nothing to Narnia, a simple pirate. I'll be fine. I didn't just get this you know; it was a gift from Pug, back on Felimath." He waved his arm, still trying to get Caspian to leave him.

"So you lied?" Caspian asked as Arran moaned, dropping his sword and doubling over, his color looking pale, and if it makes sense, his blonde hair looking slightly brittle. The king came to the pirate's side, looking concerned when Arran slumped to the ground.

"No, I _can_ heal faster. Everything else was not a problem, but, um, this wound was slightly worse than I let on. Never actually had the pain get this bad before. Never had my hair do this either." He said, taking one of his locks in his hand and staring at it curiously, as if it wasn't his.

"What can I do?" Caspian asked, kneeling down beside his friend. "You can do one of two things. Stand there watching me bleed out silver blood to death, which I know _fascinates_ you or, the more preferable one really, if it were _my_ choice…" Arran mused, as if he was discussing shipping options and not his life.

"Arran, get to the point, before you bleed to death." Caspian interrupted in exasperation.

"Ah, yes, the other," He stopped and groaned before whispering urgently, "Go fetch my brothers. _Now_!" The color seemed to leech out of him as he spoke, his dark blue eyes turning a silvery-blue and his hair becoming almost white. "You shall finally get to see how a Star dies." He tried to smiled, but the pain carried across by his words sent Caspian off immediately.

Meanwhile, Gavan and Zephyr had been helped free by Drinian, and they were making short work of the Slavers with their magic. Gavan smiled darkly as a man ran up screaming in his face. He pulled his hand closed as if tugging something away and the ground fell out from under the man's feet, leaving nothing in his place but a burnt patch of cobblestone. Gavan turned, ready with a ball of heat when someone put a hand on his shoulder. Whirling, he came face to face with Caspian.

"Arran says he's dying. He asked for me to get you." Caspian said urgently.

"Where's Zephyr?" He asked, clearing a small path by blasting his way through.

"I already sent him on his way. What is it you're going to be able to do for your brother?" Caspian asked, looking confused.

"We're going to try healing him, if we can." Gavan said crisply, as they finally came to the place where Arran was lying up against the wall. The injured young man looked up at his brother. Gavan put the horrifying though of how silver Arran's eyes were from his mind as he knelt beside him. This was his older brother, Arran had always been there, and Arran had taught him how to properly use his unique powers, powers only they shared. He could _not_ be dying. He just couldn't.

"Well hello fireball. I never…thought…" Arran coughed. Gavan smiled slightly when he heard Arran address him with his childish nickname.

"It'll be fine; nothing's going to happen to you. I won't let you go. You're my brother." Gavan whispered, his eyes filling with tears, knowing that they were probably too late. Zephyr shook his head sadly, he had already tried.

"He's lost so much magic already Gavan, it could finish him to do it again." Zephyr whispered, meeting his youngest brother's blue gaze with his pained one.

Arran reached out and grabbed Gavan's shirt collar, his dark silver blood dripping from his sleeve and onto the street. "You always hated my lifestyle, maybe there was some sense to that." He whispered, smiling softly. He stared into Gavan's blue eyes with a silver so penetrating it was almost white. "I really wish that you weren't here to watch me die, but life never goes the way we want, huh?" He laughed, which turned into a cry of pain.

"I never pictured it hurting this bad, you know. Really, feeling your magic drain away slowly like this is just unfathomable. I hope it never happens to you." Arran said, falling back. Zephyr and Gavan grabbed their brother, keeping him from hitting the wall.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Arran whispered roughly, looking up at Caspian. The two other Stars turned to look at Caspian as well. Gavan's tears were falling unashamed and Zephyr's eyes held a world of anguish.

"I don't know. I'll go." He replied, turning. Suddenly he stopped. Who could heal anything? _"Lucy."_ The king suddenly realized who could help Arran. The Valiant Queen with the gift of Life. "I'm going to find someone who can help." He said with determination, running back through the fighting mob, which was slowly becoming more controlled. Gavan looked at Zephyr with confusion. No one could help their brother now. Anything would be too late.

"Listen to me…" Arran whispered hoarsely. "What? Anything brother." Gavan said softly. Arran coughed several times before speaking again.

"Tell mother and father, if I die, that I loved them, and, father was right. I am a stupid fool for wanting to live this way. And, tell Azalea that I'm a liar. I could never love any girl as much as I love her." Arran closed his eyes, his breathing becoming more labored. A small flame flickered from his palm.

"About all the magic I had left." He whispered. Almost as soon as he spoke his eyes flashed vibrant silver.

"What is it?" Zephyr asked.

"Magic's gone….you…._idiot_. I'm going….to die." Arran collapsed back into their arms, barely breathing. Gavan knew that no matter what happened now; Pug was going to suffer just as his brother was. He would see to it. _Personally._

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

Lucy pushed the Slaver back with the pole she had, screaming in defiance when another man grabbed her hair. She jabbed the rod back into his stomach, her anger kindled. She was not just 'anyone'. She was not some 'little girl'. She was a _Queen_. And this had gone far enough.

"Lucy! Lucy, where are you?"

She turned when she heard someone calling for her. She ducked under two fighting men and ran through the muddle to Caspian.

"What?" She asked rather sharply from behind him, causing him to jump.

"Arran, he's dying, I don't know if…?" He looked at her pointedly.

"Show me." She answered, knowing it would work. He grabbed her arm so as not to lose her and pushed his way through the men with Rhindon cutting their path. Arriving at the wall again, Caspian motioned for Lucy to see what she could do. Gavan moved aside for her to kneel next to Arran. The young man's chest barely rose as he took each shuddering breath.

"I can help him, but I don't know if I can give him back all the magic he's lost." Lucy said, gazing down at the dark silver covering the cobblestones as she opened her diamond cordial.

"Hold his head up." She whispered. They supported him, and she let the liquid spill out. One drop. He swallowed. She looked at him with concern.

"How can you tell if a Star's alright?" She asked, realizing that both boys on either side of her were rather pale.

"Uh…that is an excellent question. One I _don't_ know the answer to." Gavan said, looking down at his brother anxiously. Suddenly Arran coughed violently. His eyes flickered open. As they watched, the color returned to them, finally darkening to a blue. "That's how you tell, fireball." Arran muttered, looking up at his youngest brother with a weak grin.

"Tell what?" Gavan asked, his tears falling at a faster rate, seeing his brother alive and strong enough to argue.

"How a Star is going to be alright. You tell by their eyes. Silver means they're dead. Blue means they're going to live, it's quite simple really." Arran said with mock annoyance, shifting back to leaning against the wall. Gavan and Zephyr laughed.

"Now, I change my mind, don't tell Azalea I'm a liar, let her keep thinking what she's thinking. And _don't_, under _any_ circumstances, tell father or mother that I love them, _or_ that I'm a fool. I will murder you if you do!" He said sharply, yanking Gavan's collar and pulling his brother's face to his.

"You either." Arran said, glancing over at Zephyr. He merely nodded, unable to say anything for fear of his emotions going out of control, he was always the calm, cool one, and he would not stop that image now.

"We understand. And we promise." Gavan said, before taking his brother into a hug. "What's this for?" Arran asked, after Gavan pulled away.

"I thought I was going to lose my brother. I thought I was going to lose my best friend. The only other Star like me." Gavan whispered.

"You will never be rid of me. I hate being alone, without all of you to annoy me. It'd be pure misery without someone who understood me, I'm pretty sure." Arran said with a grin, the blonde color returning to his hair.

"Well, you must thank Queen Lucy, if not for her cordial, you would be in Aslan's Country now." Gavan said, motioning to where Lucy sat a few feet away, to give them some privacy.

"Well, my dear girl, I mean, um, you know what I mean. I thank you, which is something I've never actually had to do, thank someone, usually I curse them or kill them, whichever needs doing first really, oh, forgive me, I… I'm not good at this sort of thing." Arran winced at his bad conversation; he was not one to apologize or give thanks.

"I think I know what you mean. You're welcome." Lucy smiled. Gavan and Zephyr stood. Gavan helped Lucy to her feet before turning to assist Zephyr in helping their brother up. Arran complained, saying he could stand on his own, but they helped him anyway.

"Arran, just to make sure that I did heal you completely. Would you mind using your magic?" Lucy requested.

"Fine." Arran smiled, closing his eyes.

She looked around with confusion. "Nothing happened." She said flatly. But Zephyr was grinning. "It worked perfectly." He stated.

"Gavan, you show her, I want to find Neerva, he needs to do something for me." Arran said, walking slowly across the square to find his first mate, the fight having been ended several seconds ago. Slavers threw down their swords and daggers as the slaves, pirates and Narnians cheered.

"Show me what…." Lucy trailed off as the scenery changed around her. She was in Narnia again, not the Islands. The trees seemed to be trying to touch the endless blue sky. A meadow stretched before her, with a shimmering lake in the middle. In the distance, she was sure she could hear the crash of ocean waves.

"This is what you want, what you're wanting most right now. I can put before you _anything_ you want. I can fulfill almost _anything_ you want." Gavan whispered, almost enticingly, from behind her. She turned in surprise. He smiled and stepped back from her.

"It's my power, Arran has the same. Any Star can create fire, heat and preform magic tricks, but our signature powers are what make us unique. Arran and I have never met anyone who can do what we do. Does this make you happy?" He asked abruptly, motioning to the view.

"Oh yes, but I wish it were real." Lucy said wistfully, once again turning to survey the scenery.

"Perhaps it could, but that would mean you'd have to be very important to me. Arran can make such things real for Azalea because he loves her, we can make some thing real for people, but only simple things. Like, books or music. Gavan explained.

"I never knew this about Stars. I still learn new things, no matter how long I stay in Narnia." Lucy replied.

"Is that so, Lucy?" Gavan asked, letting the images fade into reality. As they walked back to the square, she suddenly realized that that was the first time he hadn't called her 'my queen'. She smiled slightly before remembering Eustace, and the fact that she hadn't seen Edmund yet.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

"I love you so much." Edmund said as the fighting was subdued, looking at Serene. She smiled. "Oh and I you." She looked up at him, before he kissed her. He put his arms around her waist, drawing her closer. She wrapped her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his hair. They parted from the embrace when someone started calling his name.

"Edmund?" The voice asked incredulously. The couple looked up to see Lucy staring at them in shock.

"Sister! I can explain, believe me." Edmund said calmly, though there was an undertone in his voice that begged otherwise. He didn't bother lowering his arms from around Serene's waist either. The enchantress looked over at Lucy shyly, wondering what she must be thinking to see some strange girl in her brother's arms.

"Come, let's go find everyone else." Lucy continued to stare at them oddly, but she eventually moved off. Edmund looked down at Serene and grinned in amusement.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

After Eustace had been freed from his bonds, he started looking for a familiar face. He didn't like admitting it, but, he needed his cousins to help him in this strange place. He stopped in shock when he saw Edmund _kissing_ some girl. He wondered if something about this place changed his cousins. Lucy seemed to act more happy and alive, and Edmund, well it was almost as if he was a grown man the way people treated him, and the way he spoke. It made Eustace envious, though he couldn't admit it.

Back in England, _he_ had been in control, and people had to do what _he_ wanted, here he was nothing. The Pevensies and that annoying man who claimed to be king had all the power. Along with his wife. It was sickening. In England, they wouldn't be anything, let along allowed to be _married_. He had been horrified to learn that she wasn't just married, but a mother too. Exactly how old was she?

"Never mind that now, I've got to find the Consol." He muttered, walking through a quickly angering mob.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

Arran walked unsteadily up to his first mate. Neerva frowned when he noticed his captain's countenance, though he seemed better, he looked weak. "Captain, what's wrong, that wound paining you again?" The tall man asked.

"No, actually it's gone. Queen Lucy cured that. It's the blood and magic I've yet to be regained that's making me feel weak." Arran muttered, leaning against the wooden platform frame that they were standing next to.

"Come, the rest of the men and I will take you to the ship, and then from there you can return to Narnia or go back to the sky. You know that if you went back it would make you stronger. It has before." Neerva reminded him.

"No! Just take me back to the ship, we'll go from there." Arran replied, allowing his friend to lead him off. Neerva called out to the men in Orrinian, a little-known language, and the pirates instantly ceased what they were doing and left the square to follow their captain, seeing that the Slavers were well in Narnian hands. Gavan and Zephyr watched them go, knowing that those pirates might be men who were condemned by the law, but they could fight like the most loyal of soldiers when it came to something such as this.

Gavan, watching them go, suddenly remembered his promise to make Pug suffer. He walked through the crowd of surrendered Slavers and those who had accepted Caspian's rule. "Where are you going?" Zephyr called, trying to follow his brother. "To make someone pay." Gavan replied.

"Oh no." Zephyr muttered, shoving through the crowds to find Caspian. He stumbled over a dead Slaver as he made his way to Caspian and Susan who were talking with Drinian, Lucy, Edmund and several Calormene who had accepted Caspian's words as truth.

"Caspian, er, My King!" Zephyr remembered his formality upon seeing the others. "What?" Caspian asked.

"You know where Pug is?" He panted, after barely preventing himself from falling into a wall after getting shoved around by the crowd.

"I should think he's with the rest of the Slavers being told to surrender in the middle of the square, why?"

"I think Gavan's going to kill him or something just as awful!" Zephyr shouted, before getting shoved back into the confusion of free slaves and captive Slavers.

"Caspian, we have to stop him, before he does something rash." Susan said, looking up at her husband with concern.

"He might be going to do what I would do." Edmund spoke up suddenly. Before the Calormene had arrived, he had been told of Arran and what had happened. And they had been talking to Serene, who Lucy still didn't know about.

"And what is that?" Caspian asked, turning to him.

"Kill Pug in the way that Arran would've died. Slowly, just as his brother almost did. I would've done the same if it were Peter of any of you." Edmund shrugged bashfully, knowing it was true.

"Come on then!" Drinian exclaimed, pushing the crowd out of his way roughly. As they neared the middle, Lucy and Edmund caught sight of Gavan, but he wasn't moving, he was simply standing there. As if he was thinking about something. Lucy darted through the people and came up to him first.

"What is it?" She asked over the noise of cheers of victory from slaves and Narnian sailors and cries of pain from Slavers and Calormene.

"Get rid of him before I actually do kill him. He's suffered enough." Gavan motioned to where Pug was standing looking around fearfully, mumbling in fear.

"What did you do?" She asked, turning to the Star.

"Why, showed him what it is to suffer of course. Pretty little nightmare that. I didn't lay a finger on him, simply showed him what he was afraid of in the far corners of his mind. Though I wanted to kill him. Badly. He's lucky that I have such self-control." Gavan said, glaring at the Slaver again before turning back to Lucy and the others who were walking up.

"I should've known!" Lucy smiled slightly, as the others finally made their way to them. "It's alright; he's done nothing we'd lament." Lucy started laughing; Gavan caught her smile and started chuckling himself, before laughing just as hard. "She's right. You honestly thought I'd kill him, didn't you?" He asked, looking at their shocked faces.

"We didn't know what to expect." Caspian replied.

"I was going to for a moment, then thought better of it. Let him go; don't do anything to him, that will make him suffer. He doesn't expect kindness, he expects to be treated as he treats others, and to treat him kindly would be the greatest condemnation ever. Let him wonder over your leniency, and perhaps with time it will change him." Gavan suddenly said, straightening. Edmund nodded, that was true. Kill with kindness.

"I'll consider it, though I won't promise anything." Caspian replied. As they were talking, Bern came up to them.

"I would like to invite all of you to stay at Bernstead, and attend a ball thrown in the honor of the King, and the victory of today." Bern said, smiling.

"We couldn't refuse such kindness." Susan answered, her gracious nature coming out.

"It's settled then. Ah, Caspian, your mount, also, one of my men found this, in the stables." Bern pressed the reins and a black leather bound book into Caspian's hands, and then he walked away. Edmund, Lucy, Serene and Susan stared at the horse in shock.

"He looks like Night." Serene whispered to herself, laying a soft hand on the stallion's shoulder.

"Wherever did you get Windstorm from? What sort of magic have you been playing with?" Edmund asked, turning sharply to look at Caspian.

"I don't know what you mean by that; this stallion's name is Dark Sky." Caspian replied.

"Windstorm, given to Tobias, a Light Cavalry soldier, last I knew him. A young man who was a friend of Peter's, this stallion is the exact replica of his mount." Edmund clarified.

"Oh look, Lucy, he even has their brand." Susan said, tears falling down her cheeks as she traced the familiar design with her finger.

"I was wondering what you three could tell me about the breed, Bern said you might be able to." Caspian spoke up as they looked over the stallion.

"They were the finest war mounts in history. Strong, faithful, fearless, dependable, they would give you everything they had; they were all heart and all strength, just like the Narnian people. And, if it's in your history books, you might have read of this tale: _Two men, leaders of Narnia, rode into the capital city of Telmar heading a glorious two hundred and fifty horse light cavalry, an army of four hundred foot soldiers following in the wake. They proved that Narnia was every bit as barbaric as she was rich in resources._ But we also proved our strength, considering we were the 'country without a king'; at least, that's what King Isshiah said about us. I'm sure you know about him." Edmund said with a smile.

"Yes. But, why without a king?" Caspian queried.

"There were four of us, and we all ruled equally. In Isshiah's eyes, that meant there was no leader, no ruler, and no head. Even though Peter did reign over us as High King." Edmund clarified.

"You know, in those days, everything Peter did was almost final. That's why he had such a problem coming back, not much respect." Lucy spoke up, staring bright eyed at the stallion, remembering. Edmund and Susan nodded at Lucy's words, knowing she was right.

"May I see that?" Edmund asked when he noticed the book Caspian had been given. "Of course." Caspian answered. Edmund took the offered book and opened it. Long elegant scrip filled the first three pages.

"Well, at least we know that he inherited Peter's straight hand." Lucy commented with a smile, pointing to the signature signed at the bottom of the last page. It was signed by "_Lucian, King of Narnia, and son of High King Peter_" Edmund turned, after reading the account of how destrier horses came to be on the Islands, to the studbook pages, giving account of every horse born since the time they were brought there.

"Look, this colt's name was going to be Morning Sky. But it was crossed out. Why was it changed to 'Mourning Sky'?" Susan asked, following the words with her finger as she trailed the long dead stallion's lineage. Her finger stopped when it came to rest on the names "Windstorm" and "Northern Sky" She furrowed her brows as she tried reading the small script written underneath the colt's new name.

"Oh. How horrible. This foal was born the day he died." Susan pulled back, as the rest of her siblings and Caspian read the words aloud.

"_Captain fell in battle this day. Name changed."_ Was all that had been written. But they understood. Because of the colt's lineage, his name had been changed in honor of his grandsire's owner's death. Edmund's expression was impassive as he read the date. They all noticed as they paged through the book, that as Narnian victories became less and less, so did cheerful names, soon such dark ones as "Lonely Grey", "Last Stand", Death's Ghost" and "Crying Sky" were peppering the pages of the studbook. It seemed that ever after that, dark names became the trend.

"Tobias was far too young to have died. No one is supposed to die on _any_ battlefield at thirty-two. _No_ _one_. Most of his life had to have been spent fighting those – _people_." Edmund suddenly faltered, knowing who these last Narnians had fought.

"It's fine Edmund. I know my people haven't been the greatest of leaders. We're descended from pirates, what can you expect?" Caspian said, smiling ruefully.

"You turned out fine. I turned out fine. Everyone is a horrible person, can be, but you have the power to change that. Your people just didn't want to try in those days. It took several hundred years to bring them around, but that doesn't matter. If you think about it, _we_ really shouldn't be here, having to see this world change so much. We should be dead, or, just _not_ here. But I'd rather we not go there, come, I believe we should find Eustace, and then we have a ball to attend." Edmund spoke practically, reminding everyone about life, and that change was possible in everyone. Foreigners and Traitors alike.

"_Even a traitor may mend; I have known one that did."_

* * *

**A/N:**

**I couldn't resist adding that last line. I love it so much! Ok now, I think I have some explaining to do. Let's get on with it...**

* * *

**Arran and his almost-death scene, let's do that one first. {Not to be graphic, but I _do_ want it explained first}**

**_Because,_ some people are most likely thinking; _"He wasn't this bad off in chapter three, when he got injured, I thought she said he was going to be alright?" _**

**Well, to explain: He's wearing a shirt of coarse material. And not to be too gory, but he probably has several bandages as well. So now think of it this way, he's bled through thick bandages, and his shirt, _and_ his sleeve. That's rather a large amount of blood. Besides that, he's being too active for a man who needs to recover, so that doesn't help any. **

**The reason I wanted to do something like this almost-death scene, is so I could give you a visual picture of how close the brothers are. They genuinely care about Arran, no matter how he's disgraced/embarrassed the family and the family's good name. I also liked the idea of, though Gavan is more like Durken, he shares similar magical abilities with Arran. ****Gavan doesn't like what Arran does, but he cares because they share something no one else has. So they understand each other better. They relate better.**

* * *

**Arran's character &amp; sense of humor:**

**I liked the idea of Arran being very roguish. He says what he thinks and wants. **"I had been hoping you were dead..." **He would rather Caspian and his group die, because he just wants the ship. _{and_ he's a pirate, what pirate _wouldn't_ want another ship?} But, because he promised, he keeps his word and helps them. **

**I also like the idea of him not really keeping serious, even in the face of death; **"You could do one of two things. Stand there watching me bleed out silver blood to death, which I know **_fascinates_** you or, the more preferable one really, if it were **_my_** choice…"

**I just see him that way in my mind, a carefree person, someone who seems like he's not bound by responsibility. But you see from little bits here and there that he does lead people, and that he's a very _strong_ leader. Believe me, it is not easy to gain the loyalty of pirates, and then keep it! **

* * *

**A captain is only captain of a pirate vessel only so as long as he: **

**1\. Treats every man/woman as equal, regardless of race, skin color, etc.**

**2\. Gives every man on board a fair share of the spoils and/or profits. **

**3\. Obeys the code that all pirates abide by. {Yes, there _is_ a code, that wasn't created _just_ for POTC}**

**4\. Asks every man's opinion on nearly every matter, from which port to dock in to what ships to capture.**

**5\. Allows every man to have a fair vote in elections of position. {This includes the _captain's_ position!}**

* * *

**See, there is some order to pirates!**

**{one of my interests is the history of piracy in the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. So I'm applying my knowledge of historical piracy to Arran}**

* * *

**Random Thought:**

**It also struck me the other day, when I was watching PC, that Caspian and his people are all descended from pirates, so, he and Arran share something in common! Isn't that rather interesting? **

**Random Thought #2:**

**Edmund is talking about soldiers on _any_ battlefield, not just the Narnian ones. No one deserves to die in such a brutal way. _"Peace should not come at the price of so many good lives." ~ {_paraphrasing}_ Captain Tobias._**

**Random Thought #3:**

**The little snippet of Telmarine/Narnian history Edmund tells Caspian will come up in my Golden Age story. King Isshiah is from the Golden Age, {duh, you knew that} he is King Marin's father. {But I bet you knew that too} **

* * *

** Gavan &amp; Arran, their "unique power":**

**This "special powers" bit, is what I meant in the last chapter about taking the Star's and creating my own-ness about them. I have no idea what Stars are like, so I have used my creative streak to, well, _create_ something! **

**I like the idea of someone being able to see wants and give them to the other person. Gavan and Arran cannot read thoughts, {remember that!} but they _can_ tell what people fear and/or want. **

* * *

**The horse thing:**

**That was random, I did _not_ see that coming! As C.S. Lewis said about Aslan, it just sort of came into the story of it's own accord. I don't know why I keep pulling the Golden Age into this story, I guess I just can't get enough of it! **

**The um, story of King Lucian sending the horses by ship to the Lone Islands is loosely based on actual history. The "Assateague ponies" {if that doesn't ring any bells look up 'Misty of Chincoteague Island'} and there are several other stories that I can't recall right now...{shoot!} Mostly Spanish &amp; Arabic tales I've read over the years because of my horse lover's craze. {Arabic horse tales is where I get the superb war-horse lineage thing from, based off of the Arabian horses}**

**The renaming of the colt was just a random thing I threw in, I thought it might makes some sense though that they would do that, as that was the first death of an important official in the military; followed by Oreius, Lucian and Lilianna several years later. **

**The horse thing gave me the excuse to have Edmund tell Caspian that everyone is capable of "change". {there's that word again!}**

* * *

**As I wrote this, I began to realize that Edmund wasn't the only one to change, Caspian had as well. Caspian went from being an ignorant Telmarine prince, into a neutral king, willing to rule both sides with _no_ partiality to either people. I imagine that takes some skill...{especially in those early times} **

**I thought that was a neat bit of information.**

* * *

**Hmm... what next...**

**Gavan likes Lucy as more than a friend, or not? tell me what your opinion on this is. Because from where I stand, it could really go two ways. "friend" or "more than friend". You tell me! _Tell me,_ you hear?! I must know now, because if you _do not_ want that relationship, I have to scratch a large part of an upcoming chapter, and many more parts in chapters leading up to that one.**

**Oh yeah, another thing... Arran likes Azalea, but there is no interaction between them other than some heated words. They have a love/hate relationship. She strongly dislikes him because she found out he was a pirate and she loathes him for it. **

**{she didn't find out about him being a pirate in this story, it was sometime ago, _before_ this story, _separate_ from this story, K?} He loves her but doesn't know how to give up certain things to be with her, {again, the explanation for this largely depends on a Lucy/Gavan sequence, but I'm sure I can make it come up another way, if I work it over}**

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**Also, I am mentally kicking myself for OOCing Ed! I really disliked that! {in fact I hate it! I was hoping to go this entire series without OOCing Edmund, Peter and Lucy! Caspian &amp; Susan are pretty easy to _not_ OOC}**

**Ah, well, I suppose it can't be helped, but I'll try harder!**

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**Also, I promise to get more of Eustace coming up, {I'm _pretty_ sure he gets _two_ chapters. But, does anyone mind if we go back to England with him, to get everything from his POV?} Yeah, his chapters will most likely be after Dragon Island, but if things progress at the fast rate they are, {for me the writer anyways!} Then his POV might come sooner! **

**People have been asking about Peter, yes, his time will come, I'll to a full chapter on him, I _swear_ on the stack of my video copies of Narnia, POTC, _and_ my Narnia books! **

**(I'm a man of my word really! Though, I am, in fact, a _girl... _I am paraphrasing POTC _just_ a bit!) **

**{love those movies, though not so much the fourth one, without Will and Elizabeth it just doesn't cut it - Horses - STOP! this is Narnian FFN, _not_ POTC!} **

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**Moving on...**

**This chapter is titled "The Power To Change" because of what is said at the end, everyone can do it, but there is one key ingredient that you need to have to change, that everyone will learn about by the time this story is over.**

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**ILoveFanfiction:**

**This chapter you might agree with me on as not being very good. {By the way, thank you for such a darling compliment! that was so nice!}**

**Now, I must compliment myself on the fact that this _is_ better than the movie, heck, it could've _been_ the movie! All anyone would've had to do would be to remove Serene, Susan, Rilian, Adonijah, Arran &amp; his pirates, Bern's twelve daughters {Peter's many problems} and there you go! instant movie script! I really wish this was how they did it. {don't go there... don't go there...}**

**I actually will have to carefully reread the book myself, but I don't remember Lucy suffering from any temptations, but maybe I'm wrong! **

**I'm glad you liked all those little bits and details I added, just thought that it would be cool to have this connecting strand from the movie {the horn} into this fanfic. I dunno, I just liked the idea I guess. I think the swords will fit very well with the plot I've got going in my head...**

**Yes, I will be sure to explain about Serene in following chapters, though, not yet, I have to get everything else resolved first. **

**I am also glad you liked the horses. When I do a Golden Age fic, {which looks from the progress of things to be rather soon!} the horses will be better explained. **

**Thank you for the long review, I enjoyed hearing your opinions immensely! ~ W.H.1492**

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**If there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, etc...} or failed to clarify on, please tell me, so I can; fix them and/or tell you about them in a PM or the next A/N. Happy reading ~ W.H. **


	8. On The Lone Islands

**Chapter Eight: On The Lone Islands**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

"Eustace! Come on, stop all this!" Lucy called, looking around the streets and alleys leading off the square for her cousin.

"I'm gonna kill him!" Edmund muttered, looking into a shed. Susan and Lucy both shot up and met one another's eyes at the phrase. That was something they hadn't heard in a _long_ time. Gavan shrugged when Caspian looked over at him, wondering what the girls were thinking about.

"The sooner you stop playing hide-and-seek the sooner I can forget about you! You little brat." Gavan scowled, looking into some empty barrels.

"And you're certain he's related by blood?" Caspian asked, peering into a doorway that led to some stairs. He did not understand how people as noble as the Pevensies could have such an aggravating, spoiled child for a relation.

"Regrettably." Susan replied, kneeling down to look under a wagon. Even her gentle nature was starting to wear thin.

"Eustace, your cousins don't mean it, please come out! Or do I have to blast this city to the ground to find you?" Serene called in annoyance, brushing some curtains aside with her magic, and looking into the window.

They all jumped and looked down the road when a scream was heard. Eustace came running towards them faster than Lucy had ever seen him move before. Soon they saw the reason. Four large draft stallions were galloping down the road, the wagon they were drawing taking up almost the entire width of the lane. The driver seemed oblivious to the boy running for his life as he beat the stallions into a faster pace. As Eustace ran past, Edmund jerked him into the doorway he was standing in.

Everyone looked out the doorways and from things they'd been hiding in as the wagon went past; Gavan stuck his blonde head out from one of the empty barrels he'd jumped into, watching inquisitively. Three guards were running behind the wagon, for reasons unknown to them, until the royals and the Stars heard more yelling and screaming. Suddenly a man and a little girl ran past, screaming for someone in the wagon. A woman in chains was yelling back to them.

"Helaine!" the man shouted, trying to get past the guards. One of the men threw him to the ground. His daughter, or they guessed she was his daughter, stumbled up to her father and screamed for her mother again.

"No! Go back! Gael, stay with your father!" The woman cried, watching them for as long as she could.

As soon as the wagon had gone too far to come back, they all slowly came out of their hiding places. They had learnt from last time. They did not want to go back to prisons or slave ships, no matter what. Even if the Lone Islands had been freed and Narnian rule restored, there were bound to be people who didn't know. It was a large city. Edmund reached the fallen man and his little girl first.

The little girl looked up at him and screamed when she saw the long blade in his hand, a souvenir from the fight to free the slaves. Edmund quickly lowered the weapon, but the father looked up, and his gaze was not pleasant.

"Who are you? What do you want?" He questioned harshly, but to Edmund's relief, in Trader's Tongue, looking at all the people as they emerged.

Gavan jumped gingerly out of the barrel; while Serene climbed down from the ledge she'd jumped onto when the wagon had driven recklessly past. Susan slid out from under the wagon and Caspian walked cautiously out of the doorway. Zephyr stared down at them from where he'd jumped onto a roof, using his magic. Lucy walked out of the alley and came up to a hysterical Eustace who was inconsolable about nearly being run down.

"Who're you? I mean, you're not the one who's standing with a blade in his hand. I think I deserve an answer first. But, because it would be considered undiplomatic; I am King Edmund the Just of old Narnia. The girl next to the blonde boy is my sister, Queen Lucy the Valiant of old Narnia, the blonde boy is my cousin, those two are Stars, friends of the King and Queen. The Queen with the long dark hair being my older sister, and the King is her husband, they rule this new Narnia. And that is Serene, a Narnian enchantress by gift of Aslan. Now, who are you?" Edmund said, looking slightly impatient. The others walked over to him while the man and little girl just stared.

"I am Rhince, and this is my daughter Gael. You _are_ Narnians?" The man asked, standing.

"Yes, what part of my explanation was not clear on that aspect?" Edmund questioned, raising a dark eyebrow in sarcasm.

"Oh, my Kings and Queens, they've taken my wife, please you have to find some way to stop this horrible sacrifice! Please, so no others may suffer. For us, it is already too late, but for others like us, there can be some hope." The man begged, looking at them with a pleading glow in his eyes as he put his arm around his daughter.

"What sacrifice?" Caspian asked with a frown.

"People are gathered and used much like sheep for a sacrifice, to this green mist, I only learnt about it myself from a man who was imprisoned with me. I believe that is what he's talking about." Edmund spoke up quickly, looking to Rhince for clarification.

"I heard about this mist from Lord Bern, I have seen it myself, this _is_ what you're referring to?" Caspian turned back to the man.

"Yes, what his Majesty says is true. Please, is there not something you can still do to save others?" Rhince asked again.

"Perhaps there _is_ something we could yet do. We are sailing to the east, and if there is a way to defeat this mist, we _will_ find it." Caspian said firmly.

"Could I come with you? I'm a fine sailor, been on the seas my whole life!" Rhince said with almost pathetic excitement.

"Of course, you must. Could you be ready to depart in a week's time?" Caspian queried.

"Certainly, your Majesties! I will be in port the day you're ready to leave." The man said with a hurried bow, before turning with his daughter back the way they'd come.

"You couldn't refuse the man, could you?" Susan knew, looking after them sympathetically, watching the figures turn a corner.

"No, I could not." Caspian agreed, walking over to her and sliding his arm around her waist. They walked back the way they'd come to go to the boats and head back to Bern's.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Susan gasped in surprise when she saw Bernstead coming into view. It was beautiful, almost like a Golden Age manor. She smiled at Lucy who was sitting next to her; it had been so long since they'd been in the company of actual Narnian nobility, would anything have changed?

Susan marveled at the grace and beauty of the manor's design as the boats came up to a long, low terrace, even with the water's edge. The elegant style of placing nearly all the buildings on the water front, so ever room had a balcony was ingenious. Looking into the clear blue water, she realized that the rocks had been carved away to make almost a sort of pool.

The area was beautiful. She remembered when, as one of 'The Four' she had come to Avra in the Golden Age, and there had been nothing on the island but palms and flowers growing and the waves crashing up on the sandy beach. When she walked up the stairs built down into the water for times such as this, she wasn't as startled by the oddness of the place as Caspian had been. Narnia in her time had been very wild; she was used to the crazy speed of everything as Bern's twelve daughters ran out to greet them.

"Queen Susan, Queen Susan!" a redhead called, walking up to her. The baby in her arms squealed in excitement when he saw his mother, leaning out toward her, away from the girl. Susan held out her hands for the little boy, tears trailing down her face when she finally had her son in her arms.

"Thank you." She whispered to the redhead, smiling through her tears of joy. The girl just nodded with a smile. "How's my little boy, hmm? Oh I missed you. I thought I was never going to see you again." She whispered, brushing her fingers over the child's black hair, combing out the small tangles. The baby just smiled, grabbing for his mother's braid that was lying over her shoulder.

Susan wiped her tears away and walked back over to the group, smiling. Aslan had saved them all, as he always did.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"When Father decides that I can wear my hair up, I'm going to do it just like yours." Fern whispered in admiration as Susan piled her curls up in one of the many Golden Age styles she fancied. The older woman turned in her seat to smile at the fourteen year old.

"Don't be too hasty about growing up. It isn't everything." She said, before returning to putting the finishing touches on her hair.

Bern and Roxanne it turned out had anticipated a ball, and so everything was ready when they returned. The only thing that had been left was to invite the guests. While that took place, the six oldest girls excitedly took Lucy, Susan and Serene with them to their boudoir to find something to wear. The girls rooms were filled with petticoats, dresses, bodices, skirts and all manner of clothing articles that involved getting ready for a ball. The bejeweled hair pins were scattered everywhere, some even on the floor. Colorful ribbons, laces and trims were trailing over mirrors and across couches and chairs. Dancing slippers were under tables and underfoot too, causing near-accidents when girls dashed from one place to another, looking for one certain thing in the mess.

Lucy and Susan had given up on trying to keep some order to everything long ago, as the girls didn't seem to mind the clutter. Celandine was helping Lucy with her hair, and doing an excellent job of it too. Buttercup sat on one of the chase lounges, reading. Dahlia and Eglantine were trying to coax Serene into something more festive than the plain dark blue dress she wanted to wear.

"It would look so lovely with your complexion," Dahlia tried.

"And your eyes!" Eglantine broke in, holding up the edge of the white skirt, pointing to the green trim encircling the hem.

"And you have such stunning curls, we could make you look sensational!" Dahlia begged, jumping up and down slightly, looking at Serene hopefully.

"I don't know, I really think I should just wear this." Serene tugged at the dark dress, even though she was starting to glance wistfully at the green and white one.

"Serene, this will probably be the last time to even get to wear a dress, as the long skirt is rather limiting on shipboard." Susan spoke up from where she sat, pushing the diamond pins into her hair.

"Oh, if it will make you happy." Serene relented with a smile.

"Yes! Now, go change! Come on, we'll help with the petticoats." The girls said excitedly, so much so that it was hard to tell who was speaking. Serene met Susan's eyes in bewilderment, but allowed them to lead her to another room. Susan let out a silver laugh at Serene's expense.

"You know, this is much like Narnia was in my time." Susan said in a confiding tone to Fern. The girl leaned forward on her elbows, eager for any tales or mention of old Narnia.

"Really?" She queried.

"Yes, the wildness, the laughter, it is all very much so. And you must tell your older sister that she reminds me of the High King's wife, Queen Amalia. They both have that lovely personality that I can never seem to imitate." Susan admitted, patting Fern on her arm before finishing and standing. She had had a ball gown on board the _Dawn_ _Treader_, in case of parties, and so far, she had been right. Since setting out, they had attended three balls. But none of them had celebrated freedom, merely their arrival.

The blue and silver evening gown was quite lovely. It was dark midnight blue, with silver petticoats showing out from the front, and silver lace on her cuffs. It was just off the shoulders, allowing her to wear the long diamond necklace she had been given as an anniversary present by Caspian. She moved to see who might need her help. Celandine, who had finished Lucy's hair, was trying to do her own, but she was having difficulty trying to get some strands from falling around her face. Susan smiled, she could help with that. She knew what it was like to have that one annoying strand that seemed to go against everything you tried to do.

"Here, like this." Susan said, gently taking over from Celandine. The girl smiled at Susan in the mirror, her face showing gratitude. Susan tamed the unruly red hair into a lovely style.

"Before I leave, I'll tell you how to do this style, so you can do it yourself after I'm gone." Susan said, leaning over the girl's shoulder for some pins.

"Oh, that would be wonderful, thank you so much! I can hardly do anything with this mop." Celandine despaired, gesturing to her now tamed curls.

"No, you just haven't learned what to do yet, but by the time you're my age, you will know plenty of styles to do on it, and I'm sure your mother helps." Susan encouraged, smiling back.

"Yes, that's true." The redhead admitted.

"Good! Well, I think you're done." Susan stood and walked over to Lucy, who was wearing one of Eglantine's dark purple dresses.

"What are you thinking of?" Susan asked, nudging her sister with her shoulder, and smiling.

"Oh, just everything I guess. I wonder about Peter, Su, sometimes he's fine, and then sometimes I don't even know this depressed, dark person that looks like my brother. I hurt to see him hurting, because I know that it's not fair for him to be alone. But I suppose that this is a journey that he alone must take, the battle he alone must face, just like Edmund had to, just like you've had too. Just like I'll have to, I suppose." Lucy said, keeping her head down, playing with a bit of lace as she spoke.

Susan sobered at Lucy's words, she wondered how bad he truly was, but knew Lucy's guess was probably pretty close to the truth. "Yes, everyone has to face their dragons. It is not easy. He will get through it; he wasn't made High King for nothing. He can fight, Aslan has given him all the skills to wage this war, but he must use them. I didn't understand what Aslan had told us at first when he said; "we had learnt all we could from this world" but now it do. We learnt skills so we could come away and face life stronger, better, with all our courage. You will see someday, just as Peter said when you left through Aslan's Door." Susan comforted, putting her arm around Lucy's shoulders in a sisterly hug.

"Yes, I suppose that's true." Lucy brightened slightly, returning her sister's smile. They looked up when Azalea came into the room. Spying Buttercup reading, she walked over behind her and pulled the book from her sister's hands.

"Now, Buttercup, you have to pull yourself out of that book! Come on, you are _going_ to this ball!" Azalea said. Buttercup looked up at her oldest sister from where she was sitting curled up on the chase lounge. "But it was just getting good!" The brown haired girl cried, looking slightly angry.

"Come on, you can read at the party, be a withdrawn individual, I don't care, but you _are_ going to _this_ ball." Azalea said calmly, but with force, putting the book on her dressing table, finalizing her words.

"Very well." Buttercup groused, leaving to change into her yellow party frock. Azalea smiled as she left. Turning to Susan and Lucy, she commented on Buttercup's lack of enthusiasm. "She's rereading one of King Edmund's accounts of the North Battle, she finds history fascinating, but I must admit; the way he writes it _is_ very captivating. I don't know if anyone will ever marry her, the only hope we have is that there's someone out there who's just as much a history nut as she is, if not more so." She laughed and shook her head as she spoke, glancing to the book on her dressing table as she did.

"Well, there is someone out there for everyone. It will just take time. It took me thirteen hundred years to find my husband, though; I don't think it will take her quite so long." Susan replied, laughing slightly. Lucy joined in, and soon enough the other girls were coming to ask what the joke was.

"Nothing, just a comment on husbands, and the time it takes to find one." Azalea managed to get out between breaths.

After more good-natured banter and fussing over ribbons and laces, the young woman and girls were soon ready. Serene was wearing the white and green dress, Dahlia had helped twist her hair into a beautiful look, framing her face with several shorter curls. Azalea wore one of her wildly patterned dresses. And all the other girls' gowns were their favorite colors. Eglantine and Lucy were starting to become good friends, joking about how they were almost twins in their dresses.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"I wish the other girls could be here, but Mother said they couldn't stay up so late. Usually we have parties and such earlier in the day so they can attend. But I think Mother and Father wanted this one to be for the adults this time. They're using the Big Room." Fern said as they walked down the stairs to the ballroom.

There were two ballrooms in Bernstead. The "Small Room" and the "Big Room", the Big Room was larger and more ornate than the smaller room, and it had a raised orchestra stand for the musicians.

"I hope I learn and remember all your sister's names. You shall have to help me remember for the duration of our stay here. When I return, I am sure I will have commemorated them to memory." Susan said to Azalea. "There are so many of us, aren't there?" The young woman laughed.

"Truly. I understand why you never told be about them. Afraid they would run me off?" Arran stood at the bottom of the steps, smiling slightly.

"No, I was hoping you'd run of your own accord!" Azalea replied, looking rather vexed to see him.

"A pirate never leaves empty handed. You should know that by now." Arran said, as she stopped at the foot of the stairs.

"Are you planning on pirating another of my father's vessels? You know, if I told him that was you, he'd hang you in an instant!" She said, smacking his arm away when he offered it.

"Oh, angry, what have I not done now Love? And the only thing I want to steal from your father, is you." He replied, his eyes sparkling.

"Go away, rot in some brig." She muttered, walking past him as fast as her skirts would allow. He watched her go with a smile. "You know, I just love that about her." He commented absently, before walking after her.

"He doesn't seem too afraid to profess his feelings for her." Susan said, a bemused smiled on her face.

"Every one of _us_ knows about their romance, that's why he's not afraid. Around others though, he wouldn't be saying such things. Azalea tells us she despises him, because of what he's done. He boarded and pirated everything off of one of Father's merchant vessels." Buttercup elaborated.

"But we all know that deep down, she really loves him. It's almost as if they play around on purpose. He flirts with her, and she replies with some comment about how terrible he is. He loves it." Dahlia added, grinning mirthfully.

Lucy looked at the women in confusion when they all laughed. She didn't understand why it would be remotely affectionate to fight and argue. If Azalea really loved Arran, shouldn't she just say so? Susan leaned in to Lucy. "You don't understand now, but perhaps someday you will, don't judge without knowing." She whispered. Lucy smiled in reply. Susan _was_ right; it was none of her business. As they walked to the ballroom, Edmund, Caspian, Zephyr and Gavan came up to them.

"You look beautiful sisters!" Edmund said gallantly, while he slipped Serene's arm through his.

"Oh Ed, you just say that because you are duty-bound to tell us we look nice, you know what we'll do if you don't." Susan laughed, showing her mischievous side.

Caspian smiled, before speaking. "Does this mean I can say the truth? No matter my opinion? So, if I say I prefer-" He was interrupted by Susan.

"No! You are under just as much obligation as Edmund. And you're my husband, which mean no matter what, you _have_ to support me." Susan said, her eyes sparkling.

"Very well. All I was going to say is that I'd rather you wear your hair down, not that it matters, you're still just as beautiful." He replied, smiling. She smiled in return as she put her arm through his.

Lucy, Edmund, Serene and the Stars watched the banter with smiles of their own. Bern's daughters had walked ahead of them long ago, eager for a ball. Because a ball meant people, lots of people meant music, and music meant _dancing_!

"Come on, you are the honored guests, you cannot be found laughing in the halls while a party for you goes on in the next room!" Fern called excitedly.

"Well, the lady says we cannot tarry, come, I'm sure this will be something we'd lament missing." Zephyr said, walking in the direction Bern's daughters had taken.

"After my brother!" Gavan called brightly.

They stopped upon entering the ballroom. "I just remembered what it feels like to be a King, perhaps we could leave, and return when there are fewer people present?" Caspian teased, surveying all the staring, curious faces. Susan looked over at him and smiled, there was no way they would be doing that.

"Let us just think of this as a battlefield, the more people we come to know, the more we conquer." She suggested brightly.

"Perhaps one could look at it that way. At least you have nothing to be worried about; nearly all of these people are Narnian." Caspian said, hinting at the fact that he had a reputation to live down.

"The King and Queen of Narnia!" Gavan announced from behind them, causing them to jump slightly. The Star just grinned as the monarchs walked down the stairs, greeting people and shaking hands. There were times when he just _enjoyed_ being slightly mean, this was one of those times.

When the music began, the guest eventually drifted off, leaving them alone, though several young ladies stood a distance off giggling and staring. Caspian bent his head to whisper to Susan without being overheard. "Why is it, that no matter if one is married, the single young woman are _always_ staring?" Susan laughed quietly at first, thinking it was a joke, but when she looked at him, she realized that he was serious.

"I don't know, all I can say is that looks have something to do with it, and, well, standing. You are a king after all." Susan said, glancing over at the giggling girls.

"I suppose nothing could be done concerning the matter. That aside, would the Queen care for a dance?" He asked, smiling.

"I would love to." She replied, taking his offered hand.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy watched her sister and Caspian dance with a fond smile. She had always thought Susan danced nicely. She stood on the edge of the dancing floor, near the open doors leading to the balcony. Watching the dancing couples, most of whom were Narnian nobility from around Avra as they had moved here when Narrowhaven became so corrupt, reminded her of the Golden Age, and the wonderful parties and galas they'd thrown when they ruled. She sighed as she remembered them. What fond memories she had.

"It is commonly believed, that when one stands on the edge of a dancing floor, at the back of the room watching, that one isn't a dancer. I think all those beliefs wrong. I, am an excellent dancer. It is the people to dance with, who are not." A male voice interrupted her thoughts. Lucy turned to see Gavan walk up behind her from the balcony. She smiled; at least she had someone to talk to, for however long he stayed before some charming girl came to whisked him off.

"Oh really, you dance?" She replied, looking at him as he came up to stand next to her.

"Yes, but I am not fond of dancing with blunderers. So I don't. Though I think that you are not one of those types. Why _aren't_ you dancing?" He asked abruptly, looking down at her.

"There's no one to dance with." She said, motioning to the room.

"I have been insulted. I am now no one? My brother doesn't exist anymore either?" Gavan said, raising his eyebrows inquiringly.

"No, it's just, well, I haven't danced in ages, and I don't think I even know the steps anymore." Lucy admitted, turning back to gaze wistfully at the dancers.

"I can change that. Besides, no one ever forgets dancing. May I?" Gavan held out his hand as he spoke.

"I cannot refuse such a kind gesture." Lucy said, mocking the girls who blushed and hid behind their fans when they were asked. She had always been keen on the fact that she shouldn't feel, or act, shy around men and boys.

As Gavan whirled her around, she found that she recalled certain dance steps, and that he _was_ a good dancer. It was wonderful to dance again! She had forgotten how much fun it was, being swept around the floor to a waltz.

"Wherever did you learn how to dance this?" She asked breathlessly, as he brought her back from a spin.

"My Mother, she is very fond of dancing. She taught us all, meaning, me, my four brothers and one sister. I'm the youngest, hence, the best at dancing." Gavan grinned at her look of surprise. She had thought it was just him, Zephyr and Arran, she didn't know he had _more_ siblings.

"It seems I have much to learn about you." She said with a smile.

"It couldn't be learned in a day, or a dance." Gavan replied, twirling her around him.

"There are six of you Stars though?" She asked.

"Yes, my Father is a full Star, but my Mother is mortal. So we're only half-Stars, but Aslan has his ways. And what of you? I know about as much of you as you know of me."

"Well, I don't think you could learn everything in one dance." Lucy retorted, smiling.

"Fine then, but we must talk about something. Your world, I would like to know about it." Gavan said, leading her to the balcony when the waltz finally ended.

"My world? There's nothing about it that needs be known." Lucy scoffed, mentally comparing the fog and smoke filled air to the pure, fresh air here in Narnia. Of course, there were some places, like Digory's place in the country, that were much like Narnia. How she wanted to be there instead of at her Uncle and Aunt's!

"Then what about that house, the one in the country?" He asked, frowning as he looked over at her, as if trying to piece something together.

"How do you know about that?" She asked sharply, turning to him.

"You, um, want it, remember, my magic, I can, well, see what you want. It actually helps when someone won't tell me anything. Like you." He shrugged, looking out over the ocean.

"Very well, yes, there was that house; it's probably the best thing that ever happened to us. Without it, my brother would be a selfish bully, and my oldest brother would be a controlling miser, my sister would be a shallow party girl and I would be, I would be nothing but the youngest sibling. We would never have found Aslan, and Susan wouldn't look so happy, Peter wouldn't be so depressed, and Edmund wouldn't become so quiet like he does every time we leave." Lucy admitted, gripping the marble railing until her fingers whitened at the tips, because, for the first time, she was thinking about how very different their lives would be without Narnia.

"I didn't mean to bring up such sad memories. But, since you told of your life, and said honest truths, I will tell you mine. With the truth." Gavan smiled at her, though his eyes held unmistakable pain.

"I was very close to killing your sister and brother-in-law, more than once. I would have too, if given the order. I was a spy, I recall telling you this in that cell, remember? We all were spies. Or, as Durken, he's the oldest, would rather we call ourselves; "informers". I was fourteen. I spent nearly a year and a half betraying Narnia. I can never forgive myself, none of us can, but Durken suffers the most. It is something that has scarred him. I don't know if we will ever move past it."

"That is what my brother always said, when he would bring up the subject about his almost betrayal. I know that even though he seems alright now, he was not when he first was king. He was constantly displacing himself, talking as if he didn't deserve his title, long after he showed that he was the wisest one of us all. It hurt Peter deeply, but now, Edmund has finally allowed Aslan to take that burden away. He's different because of his experiences, changed. Aslan will do the same for you, it shall take time, and you must have an open mind when he calls, because he will whisper, not roar, and you must listen and be ready." Lucy said with a thoughtful smile.

"I believe you are right. Thank you. If you'll excuse me, i-I must go." He said rather uneasily, as if something was troubling him.

"What is it?" She asked in concern.

"Nothing, if you'll excuse me." He tried to assure her, before walking away. She stared after him in confusion. One moment he was fine and then the next he acted as if something was deathly wrong.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The ball lasted long into the evening, and the hall was filled with laughter and gaiety. The Narnians soon realized that Caspian was not like the typical Telmarine kings of their memories. Susan and Caspian enjoyed talking with all the Narnians, who could trace their ancestry back to many old families from the Golden Age. Caspian marveled at how they could remember so many stories and such as they conversed with the nobility.

Lucy was remembered as she had been in the Golden Age, and it was not long before every young man wanted at least one dance with her. Many recalled King Edmund the Just, as hundreds of copies of his books still lived on here at the Lone Islands. It wasn't more than an hour before men started coming to him with questions, and Bern had to remind them that this was a festive occasion, not a Court of Old like the ones Edmund used to reside over. Though, the young man promised to hold a meeting some time later in the week when they could come to him with their questions.

When the last guests were well on their way, Bern and his wife revealed how happy, but tired, they were. A maid and manservant came up to them after the entry doors were closed.

"What do you want us to do about the ballroom?" The manservant inquired of Bern.

"And what of the extra food?" The maid asked Roxanne.

"Leave it, we'll think about that tomorrow." They sighed in exhaustion, but managed to smile, knowing the two were only doing their jobs. The man and woman looked at one another as their master and mistress walked away to bed. "Well, what do you suppose we do?" The maid asked. Gaspard, the manservant shrugged. "You heard the Master, leave it. At least this means some well-deserved rest for us." He said.

"Yes, I could sleep standing like the horses, I'm so tired! How about a cup of tea before bed?" Henrietta, the maid replied.

"That sounds relaxing indeed." Gaspard commented, following her to the kitchen.

* * *

**A/N: **

**Well? I rather think I got my old style back on this chapter! Now, I shall explain all that needs explaining...**

* * *

**The line Edmund uses in the opening scene; **"I'm gonna kill him!" **is the same line Peter used about Edmund in LWW, remember? If not, the movie is free for all to watch! **

**Goodness, I don't know what else to say, surprisingly! ****I mean, everything is pretty self-explanatory in this chapter. I'm rather shocked!**

* * *

**I like the idea of Eustace being introduced this way, with everyone getting short on patience with him, leading to more anger and shortness on board. **

**Buttercup and Azalea have several of my strong traits. {Reading so intensely that everything around you goes into a fog. And being the leader, sometimes the boss.}**

**Oh, the waltz that I was listening to while I wrote the dancing is called "And The Waltz Goes On" composed by Anthony Hopkins. It is simply beautiful! **

**I think that many of the Narnians on the Islands were isolated because of what had happened back in Narnia, so they stayed basically like Narnians from the Pevensie's time. Gaspard and Henrietta I made up, but they come back at odd times in the story, so I figured I'd better give the pair some names. **

**I loved putting Susan as saying: **"Don't be too hasty about growing up. It isn't everything." **Because, in the books, she didn't take her own advice!**

**Ah! Cue Gael and Rhince! {Are you satisfied ILoveFanfiction? I hope I have pleased you! :)} **

**Well, I just don't know what else there is! If you think of anything that needs explaining, please PM or leave a review!**

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**I saw your review on chapter 7 and scurried right over and mended the errors! No, a _king_ didn't die, Tobias did. I should have clarified on that, but I was suffering from writer's block, and my writing style was off for that chapter. **

**I got it back for this chapter though, you may notice the change. Yes, everyone wants Lucy/Gavan, so I shall continue as planned! **

**Thanks so much for all those compliments, you are so sweet! I know what you mean about a hectic schedule! I also hope you like Seven Swords, Seven Lords, it has a few parallels to this story, so that should be interesting for you!**

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**Happy reading, ~ W.H.**


	9. A Tropical Stay

**Chapter Nine: A Tropical Stay**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

The next morning Susan woke with the sun. She smiled when she noticed Caspian was still asleep. He'd never been much of a morning person, but the ball the night before would've set everyone behind. She knew that from experience, though she herself never could sleep in after the long nights. She stood and walked over to Rilian's crib, checking on the little boy. A smile came to her face when she looked down on the baby. He looked a great deal like his father, more so every day. Grabbing a shawl, she walked out to the balcony and leaned against the wall of the doorframe as she sat on the wide marble railing. As the sun broke over the horizon, turning the world a warm golden-yellow, she remembered that one time she had caught Peter watching the sunrise at The Cair.

Now, she never realized what that had meant, until Amalia told her that he had hated the sunrise because it brought horrible changes for him. She hoped he no longer hated it, and that he had come to terms with it now, because the sunrise had nothing to do with what happened that day. It was the actions that happened during the day that brought terror at the dawn of the next.

As the sun rose higher, she wondered what would come of this journey, what would they find by sailing east, nothing or everything? It scared her but at the same time; she felt a wild call, a thrill that beckoned to her. She wondered if perhaps this journey would quiet Caspian's restlessness. She knew he was searching for approval from someone more, for the assurance that he was doing the right thing, and that his father would've been proud of him. She hoped he would find it.

"Oh Aslan, I hope you show him his value." She whispered, staring to the east.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The Bern family slowly congregated in the dining hall, yawning and looking rather tired. The six youngest girls, on the other hand, were excited and wanted to hear all the details of the ball, but they were patiently waiting for the right time, when everyone had more or less woken up. Roxanne, wearing a mint green dressing gown, and her auburn hair in a messy chignon, wisps of hair floating around her face, reached for the cup of coffee in front of her, white lace cuffs trailing across the tabletop.

Bern yawned behind the report of his harvest and export goods, sipping some strong black coffee in hopes of it waking him up. His burgundy robe with gold trim was tied loosely around his figure, the gold tasseled tie-end trailing under his chair. His grey-brown hair was still tousled from sleep. He slumped back in his chair, closing his eyes, but looking for all the world to be engrossed in his report.

Azalea and Celandine soon straggled in, covering yawns as well and retying their dressing gowns. Dahlia and Eglantine came in, fully dressed, and acting as if nothing had happened the night before, they sat down and started passing food platters, helping the younger girls and themselves get breakfast. Celandine stared at them with envy clearly written across her countenance. Fern soon trailed the older two, rubbing her eyes and pushing her wild bedhead out of her face. Azalea smiled and walked over to the girl's seat, standing behind Fern's chair and combing out her hair with her fingers.

"Thanks t' whoever y' are." Fern mumbled, closing her eyes and nodding off where she sat.

"You're welcome sleepyhead." Azalea replied, giving her a gentle shake. The girl nodded, but her eyes once again closed.

Buttercup followed, book back in hand, walking to her seat, never bumping against a thing. The festivities hadn't seemed to have any lasting effects on her this morning either. Her short brown hair was still sticking up in every direction, so Azalea knew she'd forgotten to brush it, _again_. Preferring reading to personal appearance as she usually did. Azalea just shook her head, knowing everyone deserved some slack today because of the night before.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy woke, realizing that she must have slept in, she listened for voices, hoping that Edmund or someone else even more annoying wouldn't come to wake her. He had always needled about how she was a late riser when they were rulers, but she constantly told him to shut it. Though, upon later reflection, that had never worked, it simply made him ruder, and even more annoying, if that was at all possible.

She stood and dressed in the clothes she'd been given by Susan on the _Dawn_ _Treader_, which had been washed and dried. Tying her hair back, she looked at herself in the mirror. How she wished she looked prettier. At least beauty wasn't all that mattered here, though she wanted to look beautiful. Standing, she walked over to her large window, which was almost like a small porch in her opinion. The sun shone down on the water, and a cool, sweet smelling breeze blew in, pushing the drapes back, and gently combing through her hair.

Leaning out and taking a deep breath, she smiled when she caught sight of palm trees and the lush tropical vegetation of Avra. A long sandy beach stretched out to the left, looking inviting, and reminding her of the second time they'd arrived in Narnia, the long strip of white, and the cool blue water around the ruins of The Cair. Thinking of The Cair, she suddenly wondered what had happened to it. She put that in the back of her mind as a question to ask Susan about.

She smiled when several porpoises breached the waves, looking shimmery and diamond-like in the noon sun. As a wave came crashing into the shore, she gasped when a horse shape jumped out of the wave, going from streamlined and lupine to more equine. The black stallion with white accents shook on the beach, before cantering off. That was something she was going to have to look in to, she just had to know about these water horses, as Celandine and Dahlia referred to them.

She left the window and opened the bedroom door, hoping that there was a breakfast fixed, because she was more than ready for some food.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Edmund woke, yawning; he ran his fingers through his hair, looking around the room. Last night seemed like a soft blur of dancing, music, laughter and questions. He thought about that one question that he'd been asked, that one was rather pondering. He stared off thoughtfully as he absently tugged at a bit of his hair.

"You are going to pull it out if you keep doing that." Serene mused sleepily from where she was lying beside him. He looked over at her.

"Really? I've done this for years before knowing you, and I never lost a single hair to the habit." He countered, eyes sparkling.

"Well, you never know, things could change; you're not getting any younger." She retorted, smiling and closing her eyes.

"Tired?" He asked, as if he didn't know.

"Of course. Getting up at dawn and going to bed in the early hours of the morning makes even the hardiest person tired." She muttered, wrapping the comforter tighter around herself.

"Well, I feel fine. In fact, I almost feel as if I didn't do anything last night." He said.

"Oh yes, blessed you. I shall try to remember that when next I complain of sleeplessness." She whispered, drifting back to sleep.

He shook his head before leaning over and kissing her lightly. "You're trying to wake me up. It's working and it's not fair, I want to sleep." She complained, sitting up and reclining against the pillows. He just laughed softly before getting up and walking into the next room to dress for the day. She stretched and combed her fingers through her black hair, disentangling the snags she came across.

As she sat there, she suddenly realized that now would be the most opportune time to tell him, it would mostly likely be the only time when they'd have absolute privacy. She picked at the sleeve of her nightgown nervously as she thought about what she had to do. Standing, she walked across the carpeted floor to the closed door he had gone through.

"Edmund, i-I think we should talk, remember what I'd told you yesterday? There is so much I must explain an-and tell you." She stuttered over her words, all the evidence of her fear over the impending discussion.

He opened the door suddenly, causing her to jump nervously. "Yes, I remember. What is it you want to talk about?" He queried, searching her face for any sign of what might be coming. She walked back to the bed and sat down on the edge, pulling her feet up underneath her. She looked down, before meeting his gaze.

"Remember that day, the Hunt?" She asked, looking at him for signs of acknowledgment.

"Yes, I can never forget, I shouldn't have left you." He said, coming over to her with concern upon seeing her eyes fill with tears.

"Oh, Edmund, how I wish I had pleaded, _begged_ you to stay! I have wronged you in so many ways." She sobbed, just knowing that he was going to both stare at her coldly and walk away after she said what she had to say, or distance himself from her in any way he could.

"i-I wanted to tell you, to keep you there with me, but I knew I could not, I am a subject and you are the king, I have no right. So I didn't, which was the worst mistake I have ever made." She said, not allowing him to put his arms around her.

"Serene, what is it that's distressing you so? It is not your fault I went back to my world." Edmund said in confusion, not understanding what she was trying to get to.

"I should have told you that day. You are a _father_. You have a _son_. And I never told you, because I was afraid that you would do as you always do, become protective and not want to leave me. So I didn't tell you." She whispered; her voice breaking. She wiped her tears away and glanced over at him. He looked shocked, staring off into oblivion, with his own thoughts.

"His name was Daniel, and he was so much like you. He smiled, just as you do, and he had that terrible habit of running his fingers through his hair, just as you do. He was every bit like you, so very little of him was me, except for the magic given to him by Aslan from before he was born. I understand if your feelings toward me have changed, but, I had to tell you…" She trailed off, not knowing what more to say.

"Why would anything have changed between us? I will never stop loving you, though this is shocking, and not what I was expecting, it doesn't make me care for you any less. I _would've _been a father. But I left. You did what you thought was best by not telling me, I cannot hate you for what you thought was wise. So, you called him Daniel? Why?" Edmund suddenly asked, taking Serene in his arms comfortingly, letting her know that there was no anger on his part.

"Because, you always said you would pick that name if you had a son. I did that to remember you. The last thirteen hundred years were so hard, knowing you were just somewhere out of my reach." She sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked, looking down at her.

"By the magic that Aslan gave me, after you left, my aging slowed, and that of Daniel's. Though I looked no older than seventeen, and he looked like he was fifteen, we were hundreds of years old. When Caspian and Susan had to wage war against Calormen, Daniel and I fought with them, he died fighting for Narnia, just as he wanted, and you said you would do if you could. Aslan allowed me to go to His Country until you returned, and so, here I am, it has seemed an eternity to get to now." She whispered, looking up at him.

"Serene, I am so sorry for leaving you, but, now we're together, and, as you told me, Aslan be praised." He replied gently, holding her close and thinking about how the changes in Narnia had impacted everyone, and not just him and his siblings.

"Yes, Aslan be praised."

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Eustace woke from a deep sleep and stretched, looking around the room. He had to grudgingly admit that this wasn't all that bad, and that, perhaps his cousins – No! They were just trying to get him to believe all this silly nonsense; he wouldn't be suckered down to their level. He knew that Alberta would give them what-for when they arrived back home. He would see to it.

He got up, and, out of habit, made up the bed. He didn't even think about what he was going until he'd done it. He stared at the made-up bed, and then shrugged, why not leave it? It wouldn't hurt anything. He walked to the end of the bed, sighing in relief when he noticed his clothes were still there. What he failed to notice was the fresh, cleaned look to them. He did not know that Henrietta had snuck into his room the night before and taken his clothes to the wash after he'd fallen asleep.

There were probably many such kindnesses that he wouldn't notice during his adventures here, and by the time he did, it would be too late to thank any of the people who had done them for him. He opened the door to the guest room and peered out into the hall, wondering if anyone else was up yet. Shoes in hand, as he didn't want to make a fuss by clunking across the stone and marble floors, he crept to the stairs leading to the main floor of the manor.

As he stood at the top of the grand stairway, he thought he smelled food. As he stood there, he realized just how hungry he was. Perhaps this once he could go against his diet and eat that wonderful smelling breakfast that was making his mouth water. As he walked down the stairs and through the large corridor leading to the dining hall, he secretly marveled at the beauty of Bernstead.

Potted palms and other such tropical plants, he thought he recognized a bougainvillea or two, lined the halls and stood in corners. Several tasteful rugs covered the floor at regular intervals. A thick, heavily fragranced, cool tropical breeze seemed to swirl around him, and the sunlight came pouring in from all the windows and doorways. As he walked past a large porch, the waves crashed and seagulls screeched. He stared out at the panoramic view, white sand, blue waves with white loamy crests, and tall coconut and date palms filled it.

"I suppose it could be beautiful." He muttered, trying very hard not to admit how lovely it truly was.

Turning a corner, he came to the dining hall's double doors. He walked through the open one and stopped hesitantly upon seeing all of the Bern family. Suddenly, for reasons unknown to him, he felt shy.

"Come, cousin of the kings and queens, breakfast is ready; I think you shall find the fare is most bountiful!" Ginger said enthusiastically, smiling at him and waving for him to come over. He approached the table and sat in one of the many empty chairs. Before the large fare on the table could register to him, the girls were passing platters down and serving small portions of almost everything on his plate. He stared in surprise at the now-full plate before him. He picked up a fork and hesitantly speared a small red fruit nearest him. The smell of it was deliciously sweet, and oozed of the tropics.

Putting the full fork in his mouth, he was surprised by how good this unknown fruit tasted. "Excuse me, but, might I ask, what is this red fruit here?" He motioned to another piece on his plate. Ivy, sitting next to him, stared at him in surprise.

"You can't mean to say you've never heard of oceananis? Why they're the most wonderful fruit! What else is unfamiliar to you? I can't believe you've never heard of these things." Ivy whispered in shock to herself, as he turned back to his plate.

"Well then, what's this?" He asked conspicuously, pointing to a green fruit on the large platter, cut into long oval disks.

"Now, this is a crime. You've never tasted celelalis? Celelali is the most goodest fruit ever! I love them, they are my favorite." She confided, leaning over and whispering the last bit of her sentence to him as if it was some great secret.

"Hmm." He replied, looking over his plate for anything else unfamiliar.

"Is this chicken?" He asked suddenly, taking a small second helping of the item in question.

"Good heavens! That's Jack Fruit; it's much nicer than eating poor chickens like Perdita and Angeline!" Ivy said, careful not to raise her voice when she noticed her father snoring behind his papers.

"It's a…fruit?" He asked, looking at the food substance in mystification. He had been positive it was a meat. Before he could ask another question however, Lucy walked in. He didn't want to seem foolish, or that he was interested in anything, so his questions stopped, as much as he wanted to ask what the small round orange berry-tomato-shaped fruit was called.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy grinned when she noticed Eustace at the table. She had been hoping that he would be up. But she was also hoping he would be in a better mood. Sitting across from him, she pointed to the platter in front of Ivy.

"Please pass the oceananis." She said with a smile. Ivy stopped mid-pass, when Eustace dropped his fork onto his glass plate. They looked at him curiously, why he tried to bluster out his explanation.

"Y-you mean to say, you know about that darned fruit too?"

"Yes, I love it; I used to eat it all the time. It is my favorite, and it only grows here in the Islands. Why?" She asked, waiting for a response as Ivy finished passing her the platter.

"He's never heard of them until today." Ivy confessed.

"Oh, right I keep forgetting you've never been here-" She was cut off by Eustace's sharp; "Save it, I don't want to hear it."

Lucy and Ivy shared glances before setting into an easy conversation of things on the Island, like the girl's flock of peacocks, while they ate. "I would love to see your birds, could I?" She asked the ten year old.

"Of course! How about this afternoon? I could show Azure and his flock to you in the garden, that's where they live. You could see them there." Ivy said excitedly, taking a drink of her juice as she spoke.

"Alright then, this afternoon." Lucy replied, sitting back with a smile.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Susan and Caspian walked into the dining hall, looking slightly tired, but happy. Susan sat down next to Lucy. Caspian sat next to her. He glanced around the table. Suddenly he leaned forward, looking more awake than he had all morning. "Azalea, please pass the coffee." He asked abruptly, motioning to it. The young woman smiled and passed it down.

"You know, you are far too much addicted to that beverage." Susan commented as he drank.

"You can say nothing until you see this from my perspective. You are the one who has no problem getting up with the sun no matter how late the hour the night before; I however, need this to keep from falling asleep where I stand." He muttered, drinking the black liquid with a contented sigh. She smiled but said nothing.

"Sleep well?" She inquired of Lucy. "Yes, it was wonderful to sleep on that bed, almost as if I was sleeping on a cloud." She replied.

"Good. And how did you sleep Eustace? I know it must be difficult to sleep in a strange place." Susan sympathized.

Now, if Eustace had known that Susan spent two nights the first time in Narnia on freezing cold ground, with nothing but a coat to keep her warm, then perhaps he wouldn't have replied as rudely as he did. "I slept just fine, no thanks to you." Caspian leaned forward and stared down at him coldly, his expression clearly saying that he was not impressed with the boy's attitude. Susan, rebuffed by the reply, simply nodded and asked Lucy to pass her a platter.

"Watch how you speak boy, I might be lenient now, but I care not whom you're related to, if you ever cross me like that, I _will_ kill you." Caspian whispered, leaning over to Eustace. The boy blinked several times and stared at the angry man. He nodded, stunned.

"What did you say Dear?" Susan asked, turning to look at him from her discussion with Lucy.

"Nothing, I was merely explaining something to your cousin." He said calmly, raising his eyebrows and looking at Eustace pointedly. He got the message, be polite, or else.

"Yes, just telling me something of critical importance, ma'am." Eustace disliked the way they constantly referred to Susan as one of his cousins. He wasn't related to the woman any more than the little girl in dark pink sitting next to him.

"Imperative importance." Caspian muttered, sipping the black coffee again. When Caspian wasn't looking, Eustace scowled at him, he hated being displaced by this jerk who claimed to be a king. Actually, what was really bothering him, though he didn't consciously know it, was the fact that Caspian was treating him as a normal human, and wasn't giving him special treatment, like Eustace had been given all his life.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Edmund and Serene walked in, laughing. "Remember when Dez accidently pushed Joram off that cliff? That was the first time we realized why he never flew. Imagine, a Griffin afraid of heights!" Serene laughed with a shake of her head as Edmund pulled out a chair and seated her, before sitting next to her.

"Remember when you first met Dez? Now, that, was priceless. I swear to you that he never stopped talking about you for months after!" Edmund grinned, spearing some fruit onto his plate.

"Oh, he was so stubborn. You know, even when he was seven hundred years old, he still refused to believe that you were never coming back, or that you four had forgotten us. And he was right!" Serene replied, reaching for her fluted glass.

"Yes… He was often right about things like that…" Edmund mused, a fond smile across his face as he chewed the fruit.

"Well, what are we doing today?" Serene asked, looking brightly at the others. Caspian gave a groan of dismay, before replying. "_I_ am going to do absolutely nothing except recover from last night, all you people who seem ready for the next adventure can go jump in the ocean. Just leave me in peace, with the coffee." He said, gesturing to the water behind him out the open doors.

"I felt the same way when I woke this morning, but I soon recovered." Serene returned, pouring some thick pinkish-red juice into her empty glass. Caspian nodded, half listening as he ate.

"He's not a morning person?" Edmund asked, looking to Susan with a small smile of amusement.

"Not especially, but considering the late hour last night, it's worse than usual." She replied, while Caspian looked on with mock disapproval.

"If it were my way, parties would be held in the morning and end at dusk, and then every man could get decent sleep. But for some reason, the women have it in their minds that they have to be held at dusk and end when finally no one is left standing." Caspian retorted, looking around at all the women in the room. Bern, waking from all the banter at this end of the table, grunted in agreement, before straightening and finishing his breakfast.

"Well, what fun would it be to host them during the day, knowing you men would go off and leave us women? To hunt or do something else that we wouldn't be able to participate in without much ado from you." Susan said, looking at him knowingly. He shrugged and smiled good-naturedly.

"Your loss then." He muttered, quickly drinking the coffee so she wouldn't hear him. She gave him a sidelong glance, her expression not a pleasant one. "I shall pretend that wasn't said."

"Hmm. That would be wise for everyone present, I do believe." He murmured, smiling as if she hadn't said what she had.

As they finished their meal, the Pevensies, Serene, and the girls decided what was going to happen that day. Eustace broke in now and then with a complaint, but he was for the most part ignored, as everyone was growing tired of him. Roxanne suggested a swim or perhaps a carriage ride, so that the girls could show their guests everything at once. Bern even suggested the girls give a tour of the grounds, as he was going to be in his study or out in the fields, busy with the work that came about over owning such a large estate.

"We must show them the water horses!" Dahlia squealed excitedly to Celandine, who had by now returned to her energetic state of mind. The older girl nodded eagerly. Lucy suddenly realized, as they planned, that three of their party was missing. "Where are Arran, Zephyr and Gavan?" She asked, looking over at Susan.

"I believe the younger two went to go see their brother, and how he was faring after the ball last night. They'll turn up when it's time to go, or when they get bored doing whatever they're doing." She replied calmly. Lucy nodded, before jumping into the planning enthusiastically.

**~|:Xo0oX|~**

Caspian, it turned out, did indeed join them. They all agreed to spend some time out on the beach, as that would be most relaxing than traipsing all over Bernstead their first day here. They had six, maybe twenty days, depending on how much of an overhaul the _Treader_ needed, to spend slacking off. Though Caspian really only had today and the next before his responsibilities began to pile up could no longer be ignored.

They spent the day in a carefree manner, something, Lucy soon realized; Susan and Caspian hadn't done in years. After their walk on the beach, they allowed Eglantine to take them to the large stables and show them her mare's foal. While they were there, they were introduced to many of the servants and Talking Animals that Bern had saved from slavery over the years. Serene and Edmund stayed on after the others decided to go on, saying they wanted to "talk" with the horses and other creatures. Round about four in the afternoon, Lucy left the others at the manor and decided to make her way to the garden and orchard that Ivy had told her about.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

She walked up a gravel path, the small grey stones crunching under her boots. She stopped when she came to a beautiful covered gate. As she swung the wrought iron gate open, she looked up at the bougainvilleas twisted and twining around the arch. The orange and purple blooms were lovely with the late sun shining through them.

As she entered the garden, she looked around. She gasped at the almost ethereal appearance of the area. A small pond was centered in the middle, with willows reaching their trailing branches to the water, rippling it in the light evening breeze. Two white swans moved gracefully across the surface. More climbing roses and bougainvilleas covered the stone walls that enclosed the garden. Small pruned peach and plum trees were scattered throughout, giving it a storybook appearance.

As she was taking in the view, Ivy ran up to her from somewhere ahead. "I was waiting for you!" She said in excitement, though her voice was low. Grabbing Lucy's hand, the little girl pulled her down winding paths and through several more bowers of climbing foliage. When they stopped, Lucy swore that the sight before her was even lovelier than the front of the garden.

A large blue and green peacock sat atop the flower covered garden wall. The setting sun's rays turned him into a shining statue. He was so still Lucy started to think he wasn't real, until his head tilted to the side and he called out in a peacock's wild cry. She smiled when the peahens and their chicks appeared out of the bushes.

"Oh Ivy, this is beautiful." Lucy breathed, unable to take her eyes off the scene.

"I just knew you would like it." Ivy whispered, smiling with the innocence of a happy and contented child as she watched the fowl as well. "I could stay here always, simply watching them, never moving. When I sit here, it's almost like time stops. I know this is what Aslan's Country will look like, feel like. And if it doesn't, then I don't think I would want to be there. But I'm sure it is beautiful, just like the Lion himself, though I haven't ever seen him." Ivy added.

In that one moment, Lucy and Ivy became the best of friends, they shared something that set them apart, an undying love of something that they couldn't see, yet believed in with all their hearts. Sometimes age isn't a boundary when your spirits are mature in ways that are hard for others to understand.

Lucy quickly wiped away her tears of surprise and awe to look down at the child with a smile of her own. Something seemed to tell her, as she stood there, hand in hand with the little girl, that Aslan's Country was made for people such as them, and that it was just as beautiful as this. _The_ paradise, a place of ultimate peace, where beauty, majesty, and serenity would go on forever, never having a break such as wars or feuds. Something every soul truly longed for, the end that was the beginning of eternity.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

_You can't know. You can only __**Believe**__, or not. ~ C.S. Lewis_

**~o0o~**

_What draws people to be friends is that they see the same **truth,** they share it. ~ C.S. Lewis_

**~o0o~**

_I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy. _

_The most probably explanation, is that I was made for another world. ~ C.S. Lewis_

* * *

**~Author's Note~**

**Well, I must say, I enjoyed writing this chapter immensely! Those last three quotes are what inspired the ending of this chapter, and, for the most part, the entire chapter itself. **

**I think I had too much fun playing around with everyone when they came to eat breakfast. I just totally though of Caspian as not being a morning person as I was writing, it just came in to the story. I really had far too much fun at his expense. **

**Now, moving on to things of greater import:**

* * *

**I think, that yes, Caspian has changed in the last three years turning to a more lenient Narnian mindset, but he would've said that to Eustace. Because;**

**1\. The king has a very short temper {he also didn't get much sleep the night before, so already he's not in the best of moods}**

**2\. He's getting to the point where Eustace is becoming utterly annoying and useless to him. It's already been proven that when something isn't up to speed, or not happening fast enough for him, he quickly loses his temper. **

**3\. The little... _Eustace_ {You're the writer W.H. you must treat everyone fair!} just insulted his wife, he's not going to let that pass without a warning for the future.**

**And also, I really think that he is going to react to Eustace in a Telmarine way. And they {meaning Telmarines} come off to me as rather mercilessly sharp. In my mind, I see them as people who aren't going to let an insult pass by them as if it was never said. Caspian is simply reacting in a normal way for him, in a way he was brought up thinking. {He after all isn't Narnian, but he's trying to work on it} **

* * *

**Yes, fine, alright, I lied about water horses not having another appearance! I just didn't see as how I could write their stay at Bernstead without ever seeing another of the creatures. {Sorry there!} **

**Oh, right! All the fruit is made up, except for "jack fruit" there actually is a fruit like that, although I can't recall if that is the correct term for it. **

**I know I seemed to pass over Edmund and Serene, but I think that you as readers can make that scene any way you wish. I just felt like that was good enough. Mainly because Edmund isn't one to go into a rage over things like this, and because he _can_ probably see her side of the problem. He also knows that he left, he could've stayed, she didn't have to say anything, and you can't change the past, so why create new wounds when they both have already suffered enough from being apart?**

* * *

**In the opening scene, where Susan "hopes Aslan will show him his value." {"him" being Caspian} That line is playing on the one Aslan tells Lucy. Remember:**

**"You doubt your value. Don't run from who you are."**

**I noticed that Lucy wasn't the only one with this problem. Caspian had it too. He tries to be something that he's not, thinking that the person he is isn't good enough. I want to deal with that problem in this book, mostly because it's in the actual book, but also because it is something that simply interests me. **

* * *

**I liked giving that little look into Eustace's view of the story. {sort of a sneak peek of what's to come} I enjoyed writing his character so much that I didn't know when to end, luckily though, Lucy wanted to come in for breakfast at that moment. **

**I like the idea of him starting to feel curious, even though he keeps trying to convince himself that he's not and he only wants to go home. His soul is starting to warm to Narnia, and he's changing, ever so slowly.**

* * *

**Another thing, I can't write about the duration of their stay at Bernstead, because we're already at chapter nine, the entire story totaling 54165+ words, and it's not even half over! I need to move on, so the rest of their stay I shall condense into a few paragraphs in the following chapter. I'll give details and keep to both book and movie plots, but I've _got_ to get them back on the ocean.**

**{Mainly because Eustace's story will re-cover everything that's already happened, just from his POV, and that will be about 8,000+ words. Then there is Peter's chapter to consider, which I'm thinking will be about 4,000 odd words. So that's 12,000+ words already, and that's totally separate from the tale I'm trying to tell! **

**Just try to imagine most of their stay like this day, except for the fact that Edmund and Caspian probably wouldn't be just lying around, they have promises to keep, {Edmund in answering all those questions} and a ship to mend, people to question and a city to put to rights {Caspian mainly}. **

* * *

**About the end, and those three C.S. Lewis quotes;**

**When I originally thought of writing this quintet, I was going to end each chapter with a quote from him that followed the plot of the stories. When the actual writing of this quintet began, several things changed, including ending each chapter with a quote. **

**So, every now and then I'll be putting a quote of his at the end of several of the chapters. I'll also explain the meanings of each quote and how they pertain to the story.**

** 1\. **"You can't know. You can only _believe,_ or not." **the reason why that pertains to this story is because; None of the Pevensies can know when Aslan will call them back, why, how, or to what time. They don't know what his reasoning's are, but they do know that whatever happens, they can believe in him to carry them through it. **

**2\. "**What draws people to be friends is that they see the same **truth,** they share it." **This is talking about Lucy and Ivy. They are both different ages. {Lucy fifteen, Ivy ten} Lucy though, remembers when she was Ivy's age, and how she learned to believe like that. They see the same truth, they both know that Aslan is always in control, always guiding, even when they cannot see it. So they are friends. because they share a simple truth.**

**3\. **_"__I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy. __The most probably explanation, is that I was made for another world."_ **None of them are ever fully satisfied with anything. They all want something more. Nothing Narnia or England can give them. Aslan's presence. It's just something for you guys to see if it fits into the story or not.**

**Make your own ideas for the quotes, use them in ways they relate to you! They're open for your imaginations.**

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**I could do a companion story, if you really want me to. I never though about it before actually... The idea has merit! In fact I really like it!**

**Yes, I forgot to include the second line Edmund says, sorry! **

**I read your review this morning and fixed that error! See, before my writer's block lifted, I had written the chapter, before publishing it, I reread it and discovered that it was {let us put the word "trash" in this blank} so I edited it, but I forgot to paste back in the part where Edmund explains to Caspian about the mist! {I am incredibly sorry for this heinous error!}**

**I know what you mean about Susan, that is exactly what this quintet is about, redeeming her! **

**And if by "C." you mean C.S. Lewis, then yes, he will come into the story again, though, not until the third or fourth book in my Star series. **

**Eustace and your favorite scene will come up! As that is a scene that Eustace and no one else is in, it will be in the chapters from his POV. **

**I know what you mean about pirates, yes they are very interesting, I really enjoy studying about them. Though be warned, I do not try to glorify them at all, Arran's true nature will eventually come to light, it has several times actually: **

**"I wished you were dead... two ships really is better than one..." "Yes, does that bother you?" "Very well, but I'll warn you, my crew will kill every one of you..." and so on. He is kind, certainly. A gentleman, at most times. A pirate, first and foremost. **

**Another thing I shall try to post chapters on Fridays or Saturdays, that way you'll know when I post. I think that would make it easier for everyone, myself included!**

* * *

**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...} Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note. **

**Happy reading, ~ W.H. **


	10. Onward, to the East

**Chapter Ten: Onward, to the East**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

The following day passed much like the first, except for the fact that everyone no longer had a ball to recover from. After two days' time, everyone was back on his or her feet, and ready to help again. Caspian was gone most of the day, sometimes even during mealtimes, because of how much there still was to put right in the Islands. He wanted to be fully sure he could leave things to Bern, without fear of all their hard work being destroyed. He, Bern, Drinian, Reep and Edmund spent quite a good deal of time, and a great deal of fine drink, plying the older sailors and captains for information regarding the wild blue eastern ocean that stretched endlessly away from the Islands.

Many a tall yarn they heard in return, though none could tell them something that Edmund could not have already informed them of. Many still thought that if you sailed too far east you would come into the surges of a sea without lands that swirled perpetually round the rim of the world – "And that, I reckon is where your Majesties friends went to their doom, the bottom of the wild blue yonder." A grizzled old man, too old to go to sea anymore said after he was quite filled with ale.

The rest of the men they questioned had only wild stories of islands inhabited by headless men, floating islands, waterspouts, mermaids and a fire that burned along the water for all eternity. Only one, to Reep's delight said;

"And beyond that, Aslan's Country. But that's beyond the end of the world and you can't get there unless'n you be dead."

When the Mouse questioned him further, he could only say that he'd heard tell of the tale from his father, who had "long since crossed the edge of the map".

Arran soon recovered and became well enough to travel with them, though, in the last several days they were on the Islands, he was not to be found. He said that, for sure now his ship would no longer follow them, as a great deal of his crew felt the voyage to risky to undertake, but they would wait on at the Lone Islands for his return. Edmund kept to his promise and held a court where all the men could come and ask questions of him.

Once again, the Just King dazzled men with his great knowledge. The _Dawn_ _Treader_, meanwhile, was emptied and pulled into dry-dock by eight strong draft stallions, to be refitted and made ready for her trip into the unknown. Everything had to be meticulously sorted and repaired, searched and counted, as this was most important when one is about to sail away from the charts of all maps.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

As they walked down to the docks on the day of their departure, Rhince came up, his daughter running behind him. They waited for him to calm the distraught girl while the ship was being loaded. "Have I ever not come back?" The man asked quietly, tilting Gael's chin up so their eyes would meet. "No." She whispered. "It shall be no different now, please stay with your Aunt, I love you, and I will always come back." He said, smiling and looking braver than he felt. He kissed her on her forehead, hugged her, and went over to help the crew load and stock the _Treader_.

As the Pevensies and Caspian were about to board, Bern suddenly ran up to them, shouting for them to wait. His family stood some distance back, watching and waiting to give their farewells.

"My King! There is something I feel I must give you." Bern bowed his head and held up a glistening Old Narnian sword. Small, glittering green emeralds were inlaid in the golden hilt. Edmund stared at the weapon with an odd look.

"That's an Old Narnian sword." He said, sharing glances with Lucy and Susan.

"Yes, I-" He was cut off by a sharp cry from the ship.

"What have you done?" Serene shouted, running down the gangplank toward them. They all turned to stare at her. She stopped to catch her breath after she had reached them. Edmund tried to quiet her, but she pushed his arm away.

"What dark magic has given you that blade? Tell me now! In your hands you hold the weapon of the first and last Guardian of Narnia, this you cannot deny!" She said, nodding at the blade. Everyone looked at Bern curiously.

"What…Guardian?" Lucy asked, squinting against the glare of the sun to look in Serene's direction. The enchantress spoke again, her anger unable to be diluted.

"There were seven such Guardians, chosen by Aslan himself, to protect Narnia, after you left. They were each killed, by; forgive me my King, those Telmarine invaders! They were each given a sword by a young man on a black stallion, with a large lion at his side, said to be Aslan. These blades hold a magic so powerful, that only the rightful owners can control it. In the hands of any common person, who knows what might befall them!" Serene tossed her hands in the air in exasperation.

"It is true. I and my fellow Lords stole the swords from a tomb. We were young, and very foolish, but I have mended the error of my ways. I am greatly ashamed of what I've done, stealing the property of a man who is far greater than I. I was hoping though, that perhaps the blade could be put to good use, being once more in the hands of a Narnian."

The enchantress again spoke. "Caspian, unsheathe Rhindon. Do it, my King!" Serene directed, tacking on the formality of 'my king' as an afterthought. Even though her request was rather unusual, he did as asked. The long Narnian blade seemed to glow a dull azure blue, and at the same time caused Caspian to jerk back slightly, though he never let go of the weapon. Bern gasped and would've dropped the Guardian's sword to the sand, had Edmund not taken it from him. That blade shone a grassy green.

Serene smiled as Edmund simply stared in fascination at the two blades. "What do you feel?" She asked the two young men softly. "Strange." Caspian replied, studying his sword carefully. "Power, so much _power_." Edmund whispered, touching the glowing metal lightly with his hand.

"When you have all the blades together, they will glow in kind with Rhindon, but until then, each will radiate its magic's color. That magic you feel is the power of Narnia, her very foundation if you will, linked to the Deep Magic by Aslan. If the Lords have these swords, we can only hope some horrible fate has not yet befallen them." Serene met Caspian's gaze meaningfully.

She would not imply what she was thinking, but he could feel her unsaid words hang in the air around them. Just because he was able to stand the magic and power of Rhindon, did not mean that the Lords could withstand the power of the blades they carried. Telmarines were not magical beings, nor did they possess the faith and beliefs that the Pevensies had that allowed them passage into Narnia. The Telmarine ancestors fell through a portal. Faith was the Pevensies "magic". Peter had been able to control Rhindon not because of the right he had to the throne, but because of his _faith_. The same faith that allowed Caspian control over it, though, his wasn't as great as the High King's because of his ancestry.

"Come, if the Lords made it past the Ocean, we must try. Now we can be sure. We have a heading." Edmund spoke up, gesturing to Rhindon in Caspian's hands. He meant that, since Rhindon glowed like this when near one of the seven swords, they could know if they were going to in the right direction perhaps.

"Yes, we surely do." Drinian agreed.

"Well, Caspian, your Highnesses, I know that this has been a marvelous stay, but we must sail with the tide." Reep spoke up, scurrying over to the gangplank and looking at them expectantly.

They all turned to stare after the Mouse, knowing he was right, but at the same time, they were afraid. Leaving everything you've ever known is not the easiest task to undertake. But there was something that spurred them on, easing their fears. Caspian sheathed his sword and walked toward the ship. Edmund quickly took the scabbard from Bern and sheathed the Narnian sword, before jogging after Caspian, the others close behind. Life means making choices and decisions, and sometimes those choices and decisions aren't always easy or simple.

Islanders cheered, some even sobbing, as the ship left. Bern and his family waved, watching them go with fond, yet sad expressions on their faces. Like when you have had a good friend or relative stay with you, and now it comes time for them to leave, the sad, and yet peaceful feeling you get.

And Susan had been right about the Stars, they had been with their brother, but when it was time to work they were there, helping as much as they could. And Arran, in an act of goodwill, even had several of his men help with the overhaul of the _Dawn_ _Treader_. Neerva would've followed his captain to the ends of the world, but Arran told him plainly that someone had to keep the men in line.

As they set Narrowhaven to their rudder, everyone dulled slightly, missing the tropical islands before they were even a hundred leagues from them. There is something about the tropics that causes even the most sea loving of men to yearn for them, I don't know why that is, nor can I tell you.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy walked to the bow of the ship after they were well on their way, and the ship was once again cresting open ocean waves. She loved the smell of the salty brine and the feeling of the wind in her hair, hearing it whistle through the sail, there was something exciting about it. Ships and seas always seemed to shout adventure, mystery and magic!

As she stood there, the sun overhead, she became aware of someone singing. Climbing the ladder in the dragon carving's neck, she was surprised to see Reep standing on the nose of the carved and gilded dragon head, singing softly to himself as he leaned out and stared across the vast Eastern Ocean.

"Where sky and water meet, where the waves grow ever sweet, doubt not you Reepicheep. To find all that you seek there is the utter East, doubt not you Reepicheep." He sang; his voice surprisingly on key and carrying the tune perfectly for someone of his size.

"Oh, that's pretty." She said, after he had finished, well, she thought he had finished.

"Wha- oh, your Majesty." Reep said, upon turning and seeing her there. "It is lovely, isn't it? A dryad sung it to me when I was just a mouseling. I can't divine the meaning, but, I've never forgotten the words." He continued, explaining himself.

"Well, it's very lovely. I hope you discover what it means." Lucy said, climbing back down the rungs. As she walked away, she smiled and shook her head when he started back up.

"Where sky and water meet…."

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

As evening drew on, Susan and Caspian brought everyone together to decide sleeping arrangements.

"Lucy, Serene, since it's obvious that we're going to be staying on this ship for more than a day, and you will need somewhere to sleep, You two and Susan will sleep in our cabin, and I'll sleep with Edmund and Eustace down with the sailors." Caspian said, looking at Lucy, Serene and Susan for their response.

"You seem very keen on getting rid of me." Susan joked, smiling slightly.

"Never, but, Lucy and Serene can't very well sleep down there." Caspian replied, sliding his arm around her waist and smiling down at her.

"I have to beg Serene off this, she'll be with me, we've been apart too long. Don't worry, it's nothing like that, except, she is my wife, and thirteen hundred years is quite a long time to be separated from her." Edmund said, looking over at Serene, who nodded in agreement.

"Well then, it looks like it's just you and me Lucy." Susan said, smiling.

"You're sure I... can't just stay with Edmund, Serene and Eustace, and let you two keep your cabin?" Lucy said, shrugging and looking at them with understanding smile.

Caspian and Susan shared a look. They smiled, but turned back to answer Lucy's question. "No, you need a room, and so, you shall have ours. It's the very least I could do, as a king. And the best I could do as your relative." Caspian replied.

"All right then, if you insist." Lucy said, looking at them with a smile, though she was rather unsure about how well this was going to work.

"Well, I for one want to know why I should sleep in that Black Hole! I should be treated just as-" Eustace started up, but a glance from Edmund and Caspian silenced him. He stopped upon noticing their gazes, if looks could kill; he would've been dead already a million times over.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

As the sky started to brighten red and gold with the sunset, the wind changed, as it tends to do in the evening. Something one doesn't know on land, but on the open ocean, every little gust is visible. Drinian shouted for the boom rod to be loosed, so they could swing the ship into a more favorable wind current for night sailing.

As several sailors went to attend the position, Arran watched with interest. Suddenly a scowl replaced his smile of amusement. He had realized that all five of the men were going to loose the sail.

"Stop, stop, hold!" He shouted, striding middeck. The sailors climbing up into the rigging stopped and slid back to the deck. "You let your men keep such disregard of marine ways? I am ashamed that the "Royal Navy" knows less about boom loosing than a pirate!" Arran shouted up angrily to Drinian and Caspian, who were standing at the helm.

"And you know something we do not? Is that the matter at hand sir?" Drinian called down, looking at the younger man with skepticism and slight aggravation.

"How many men does it take to loose the boom and raise the rigging?" Arran returned boldly.

"Five, ten if you have men enough, but that is only on larger sailing vessels." Drinian responded, looking utterly bewildered as to how this was heading.

"Wrong, my good captain! Watch, you are all about to learn a most important lesson regarding sails and rigging!" Arran shouted to the crew. He jumped to the side, looked up at the sail for several seconds, before he kicked a derrick loose. The sail, now free because of the lack of rope to keep it down, cracked sharply in the wind, pulling the pirate into the air. He reached for the rope on the sail, a sort of handhold when the men are in the rigging, and held on.

"Now, that part you don't have to do, but I prefer it because it gets you to where you want faster." Arran shouted down, as he swung quickly to the boom. Hanging upside down from the yard, he hauled up the sail, curving the corner towards himself. The wind hissed in his ears, and the rigging held taut against the wind. Arran grabbed for the haulrope, the one that made turning the boom possible. He grabbed it and swung off the yard, falling toward the deck. He jerked the rope right before his feet had deck wood under them, and the sail turned above the crew and himself, easing into the evening wind.

The stunt had taken a total of four minutes. "Now, how many men does it take to turn a boom and loose the rigging?" Arran asked again, grinning as he caught his breath.

"One." Drinian replied, staring down at the young man with a look of disbelief.

"I shall teach you if you like. It really makes ship life far easier, and well, generally faster too." Arran said; walking back over and re-securing the derrick he had kicked loose.

Drinian and Caspian looked one another. This was going to be interesting. "I hate having other captains aboard. It is exceedingly difficult to keep them in line, as they're so used to having things their way." Drinian grumbled to Caspian.

"Perhaps he won't be as bad as all that." Caspian replied, walking away.

"You've never sailed with one before, like I have." Drinian muttered, knowing the king was out of ear-shot so that he couldn't hear to reply.

"Captain, I will not fight your position. I don't want it. Your men aren't the loyalist of sorts. I prefer my men. I just thought giving you some helpful advice wouldn't injure your position any." Arran said suddenly, coming up the stairs on his left. The captain turned to the other captain in surprise. "I continue to underestimate you, Arran." Drinian replied.

"I know. You see me as a pirate, and you have a stereotype in your mind from past experiences regarding my character. I am not like those men. I prefer the code, I obey rules, and I'm not ruthless, though I have been known to burn ships if my temper gets the better of me, but that is only in dire circumstances. I want you to know I will not try to take your position or degrade your status. If anything, I shall support it unto the end. I am a captain too, and I know how hard it is to earn the loyalty of men and keep it, when you are miles out to sea, and not a spit of land in sight." Arran smiled as he finished.

Arran stood next to the helm in a marine's at ease stance, staring out over the waves. Drinian thought about it some, before deciding he had nothing to lose by asking.

"You ever been marooned by your crew?" He asked, glancing over at him from his place in front of the helm. The deck had long since quieted, as everyone had gone below deck that wasn't on watch to eat and sleep. The sun was low on the horizon behind them, turning the cloudy sky a maroon, orange, gold and black color ahead of them.

"Yes, three times. I refused to give them our heading, and so they left me on a little-known island adjacent to Orrin. Another time it was because I had hung a man for stealing. His mates didn't prove of that, though the rest of the crew did, and I was mutinied and marooned. The third time, I myself was pirated by another pirate. Nearly died then, though, that was nothing like what happened back at Narrowhaven." Arran said quietly, looking off into the distance.

"Hmm, and I also have been marooned, though, for me it was four times. We were sailing for the coast of Gandon, the outermost of the Seven Isles, and my men decided they'd had enough of taking orders; so they found a nice spit of land in the middle of the ocean and stuck me there. The only reason I'm here today is because the land was in the shipping lanes of Gandon." Drinian said.

"And what of those other three times?" Arran asked with a smile.

"Much like your second. They disliked my discipline, and so I was mutinied and marooned because of it, just like you." Drinian observed, glancing over at Arran again. A quiet settled between them for a while before Arran spoke.

"Ever, hmm, been pirated?" He grinned.

"Of course, those were the worst times in my life. I try to forget."

"I love pirating, best times of mine. Never forgot this one, ahh, it was fantastic – but perhaps I shouldn't mention these, as I find it gives you discomfort to think about that and be in my presence." Arran broke off suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Drinian asked.

"I see a great lot of hanging ropes in your wants right now, and that idea doesn't really sit comfortably with me, as I would like to keep my life a bit longer." Arran replied, looking over at the captain with a grin. Drinian looked down, embarrassed because he supposed he did want a hanging rope. As much as he felt comradely towards Arran, the young man was a pirate, and standing next to him went against every principle he'd ever learnt. It would take some getting used to, Arran being a pirate, and his magic.

"Have you ever had someone threaten something you love, to keep you in line?" Arran asked abruptly, his hand tightening on his sword hilt.

"No, never found something I love that much yet." Drinian replied easily enough. "Why, have you?" He queried, trying to decipher the young man's expression.

"Yes. It is the cruelest of threats. And I have made every mother's son of them pay for it!" Arran said, smiling in an odd way that told Drinian that he wasn't the kindest of seamen, and that Arran was one to be reckoned with, for all his easiness and mirthful attitude.

"I don't think I shall ask then." Drinian replied after a pause.

"I would like that. I shouldn't have brought it up, making you curious, but I wanted to ask the question. Another thing, after this voyage, if we ever meet again, but that time being as enemies, promise me you will not use my weaknesses against me. Also, I have been honest with you; I should not like to come to regret that honesty." Arran stated bluntly.

"Of course not. I'm an honorable man, I would not cheat. Not even on a pirate. Now, what tales have you of the ocean?" Drinian steered the conversation easily back to common ground, just as easily as he steered his ships. They talked long into the night, about many things that seamen like to talk of. It was the beginnings of a strong friendship, although both didn't know it at the time.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy woke early the next morning. She got out of bed carefully, as she didn't want to wake Susan. She sighed in relief when her sister didn't stir. She'd been surprised at how light a sleeper her sister had become. Every noise had caused her to sit up, fully awake, ready for whatever might be going on. Lucy had new admiration for mothers now; their job was a lot harder than they made it look. She picked up her boots from beside the door and eased it open. She smiled after she had closed the door, feeling the sun on her face, and watching the waves curl past the ship.

As she stood there, watching the water, wondering if it was cold or warm, someone came up beside her. Turning she was surprised to see Gavan. "I should've guessed you'd be out here already. You're sure you never get tired?" She jested, smiling at him slightly.

"Yes, quite sure. I didn't expect you to be up this early either." He replied, looking over at her as well.

"Normally I'm not, but I couldn't sleep. I suppose the excitement will wear off eventually though." She said.

"It might." He agreed. They stood there in silence. Lucy didn't know what else to say, and it frustrated her, usually she could think of millions of things to say. Lost in thought, she wasn't expecting the ship to go down in a swell. Off balance, she nearly fell, but Gavan caught her before she did so. She had grabbed the railing in reflex to the falling motion, and once he saw that she didn't need his help he instantly let go of her.

"My Queen." He said, once again looking confused. He seemed to be breathing just as hard as she was, but he'd done nothing. It confused her. It was almost as if he didn't like her, or was nervous in her presence. He walked away, not giving an explanation. She turned and stared after him, puzzled.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"So what do I do? Arran, you must tell me what to do!" Gavan said, looking at his older brother.

"I don't know what to tell you. Can't you just ignore it?" The pirate asked, glancing over at Gavan.

"You tell me to try to ignore that! You can barely force yourself to fight against its charm, and for some reason she has decided to try and become friends with _me_. I don't know how much longer I can go on before I'll either give in to it, or have to leave." Gavan admitted, running his fingers through his blonde hair, giving it an even unrulier appearance.

"Gavan, if you care for her, act on it, don't give it up, perhaps you were meant to stay on earth." Arran said.

"But what if I'm not, what if I hurt her? I can't risk ruining her experience for anyone else." Gavan said, his eyes pleading for his brother to tell him some advice on the matter.

"You're smart, you'll think of something. I shouldn't worry." Arran said; confident in his brother. He walked away, leaving Gavan no better off than before. The younger Star sighed in frustration before walking off as well. Perhaps everything would be clearer in the morning.

* * *

**~Author's Note~**

**Well, how did you like it? Again, it's not my best, I'm suffering from WB _again,_ and dang it all is it annoying! I might rewrite it because there are several things I want to fix, but moving on... **

**In the opening lines of this chapter, most of the writing is word for word from the book, I embellished several of the speaking parts though, because I felt it would be slightly more in character with the sailors I've got going. **

**I rather like my version of Rhince and Gael, it's more believable I think. I mean, come on Caspian, if you were any kind of good king, you wouldn't arrive somewhere, fight a couple people and then leave. Then, if that wasn't enough you had to just go and _ruin_ the ride: **

"Of course, you must."

****"This total stranger just wants to come with me, spur of the moment, as it were! And I'm going to let him, not bothering to tell you Drinian!"** **

**Drinian has to give each of his men equal rations, and cannot pull a balanced meal out of the ocean for this guy (every day, three times a day) once they get out there! No, no, no, no! **

**One poor sailor will have to go without food, if that had happened. It's like: Darn the luck man! You're just gonna starve, what's-his-name is far more important than you, why, exactly, I don't know, he just is.**

**That is not how it's done! I couldn't move past that when I watched the film, it's a major flaw that prevents me from enjoying it there on out. (besides the mess up with Lord Bern being in prison and the way they chose to do the slave scenes. I could go on, but I won't :)**

* * *

**Hmm, Gavan has something bothering him. But Arran's pretty sure he'll figure it out, so'm I. **

**Lucy is speechless, that's a first. I always noticed that she has something to say that's encouraging or comforting, or just plain interesting to say, so I thought, wouldn't it be neat if she suddenly didn't? **

**Arran and Drinian sound like they might be good friends. No, I mean seriously, they become _really_ good friends. But more on that in the third installment of this series. And yes, Arran has a cruel side, and it'll get worse on this voyage before it gets better. (hint, hint green mist subplot!)**

**Ah, disclaimer on the nautical stuff, I don't know if a fourth of those terms are correct! Pirates I know pretty well, but ships with one square sail, not so much. So I took a creative license and made up as I went along! (don't judge and don't try too hard to figure it out, believe me, you'll just get confused)**

* * *

**Now, as it turns out, the swords are becoming a bigger part of this story than I originally thought. I like the idea of the Pevensies having a sort of magic, "Peter's faith made him able to control the sword" but their "magic" isn't really magic in that sense. If you think about it, faith is a sort of magic, but in a more spiritual dimension. **

**By faith, Peter (the disciple) made a lame man walk. By faith Paul became an apostle and preached the gospel to the world. By faith we believe that Jesus Christ is real, though we've never seen him ourselves, yet we experience him through other's experiences (the stories and letters in the Bible). **

**If you think about it, faith in God is the strongest magic there could ever be, though it might not work like "magic" in the "bibbity bobbity boo" &amp; "Abracadabra" sense. I'm going to be going more into this in this tale, so don't worry!**

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**Yes, I know what you mean about the breakfast scene, I really enjoyed writing it, giving them a more, well, family side. Cause basically every time we meet/see these characters, they're killing people, trying to fight something evil, or just plain having to act grown up. They never really get to act like friends together, so I wanted to portray that, ****you know? To put it in a more modern way, they never get to simply "hang out". **

**I know what you mean about Caspian being amused by Eustace, and I've tried to keep with that, because I see that as another of this character's strong sides. But see, here is where I have a problem, in the book, yes, Caspian was amused, but then, as time wore on, be gradually became less amused, and more cynical about Eustace, like on Dragon Island for instance Where Eustace gets turned into a dragon: **

**"If course we've got to find him, if we _can,"_ said Caspian wearily. "That's the nuisance of it. It means a search party and endless trouble. Bother Eustace." **

**So he eventually started to get less amused. I think that a great deal of his amusement would come from the fact that he's never seen what a first-timer friend of Narnia acts like, and so he enjoys watching this kid. But I shall try to keep both sides of Caspian, do not worry! **

**Moving on...**

**I have seen your point on how Arran's life has been rather spaced, I am writing a story on that, trying to climb out of my WB, but progress is slow. (Azalea was spelled correctly by the way!) Yes, about Adonijah, he will return, **gasp I almost forgot to put him in the story!** don't worry, he's sailing on the ship too! About Serene and the wolf thing, I will try to put that in the next **as of now unwritten** chapter, how does that sound?**

**C.S. Lewis will return for the third installment actually, I need to show him as having a closer friendship with Peter Pevensie, so I'll have him...(stop Horses you'll give the third one's plot away!) Well, you'll just have to see! **

**Yes, thank you for your little prompt about the swords, now, as I've said, I am not sure this was the best way to introduce them, but I shall try to get more in detail in the next chapter, cross my heart! (if you don't like the sword part, tell me and I shall rewrite it for you so it's better!) **

**Yes, I think open ocean is best, for all concerned, we wouldn't want the crew stage a mutiny trying to stay on the Islands, that wouldn't do at all! **

**Well, I think I have answered all your questions! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! ~ W.H.**

**PS**

**Oh wow, I just read your review, I'll tell you something, no, it is not overstepping into my boundaries AT ALL! I enjoy it when readers learn as much as I do/noticed! My siblings and I all think the painting in the cabin of the _Treader_ is of Susan. I thought you would noticed the hunt painting, I haven't seen the Faun yet, I'll go back and look! **

**Interesting observation about Caspian and Edmund, I noticed Caspian had two swords, but never thought of it in that light before! I really like that idea though...**

**I know what you mean about details! I love each scene and wish they'd written commentaries just about each individual frame! **

**And yes, I was hoping to go into the story of Reepicheep, and explain why he and Arran have such a strong disregard for each other. "You mean you captain that crew of motely pirates?" (Reep) "Yes, does that bother you?" (Arran) that was in chapter three of this story I believe. I was hoping someone would notice all the details from the movies I was trying to weave in these stories! **

**I was planning on making a play on Star's immortality in the pirates story, where ten years is merely one to a Star or something, (I haven't figured out the entire plot yet in my head, I was writing out my rules for Stars, when I saw your review)**

**There will indeed be more about the Guardians in both stories! ~ W.H. **

* * *

**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...} Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note. **

**Happy reading, ~ W.H. **


	11. Eustace Part 1

**~Author's Note and Warning~ **

**Normally I don't do this, but I'm doing it because this chapter has strong Christian elements, mentions of God and Jesus Christ. ****Anyone who doesn't want to read about that, well, you don't have to, so don't feel obligated. If you don't like it, that's fine. **

**If you have problems with religion in Narnia, then I am not forcing you to read this, you can simply skim over Eustace's parts, as they are just fleshing out his character and not much else. **

****I do not want to offend or anger anyone, I just want to forewarn them.** ~ W.H.1492**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Eustace Part 1.**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Cambridge England ~**

_**March 2**__**nd**__**, 1944.**_

_I don't know how to start one of these, never having needed to myself, until now when I've discovered some news of the __Horrible __Kind__**. **__But before I go there, let me properly introduce myself, I am Eustace Clarence Scrubb. My parents call me "Eustace Clarence", and servants call me "Master Scrubb", and I'm sure that if I had any friends worth having, they would call me simply "Eustace". I live in Cambridge, in a lovely house close to town, with my mother and father, who I call Alberta and Harold, as calling one's parents "mum" or "dad" is simply old-fashioned, and not practical._

_Now, to tell you about the __Horrible __News__; see, I have an uncle, on my mother's side, his name is John Pevensie, everyone calls him "Jack", but usually I just call him Uncle John. He's Alberta's older brother. Well, he married a woman named Helen, and then they had __fo__u-__, excuse me, three children. I don't know why I almost wrote four. Peter's the oldest; he is always putting on airs, as if he's better than everyone else, almost as if he was some sort of royalty! Then there's Edmund, he's only a few years older than I am, but he acts as if I'm some sort of pest, then there's Lucy, she's also a few years older than I, I don't really dislike anything about her, except for the fact that she never seems to act her age._

_I was told, only last Saturday, that these three would be coming to stay here while Uncle John and Aunt Helen go to America. Why they couldn't take my horrid cousins with them is beyond me. Alberta said it has something to do with money, and the fact that the crossing costs a great deal. That is the __Horrible __News__. They're going to stay here. With me. Invading my house. Invading my life; with their silly ideals of magical lands and fairy stories. Well, that's all for today. If their telegram was on time, they should be here late tomorrow, Eustace. _

_**March 4**__**th**__**, 1944**_

_I hate cousin Edmund, he acts as if he's so much smarter than I am, but he's never been that good in school, nor has he read any of the right books a boy his age should be reading. He says he wants to be a lawyer, but I seriously doubt it, not with the work effort he puts out. Besides, he reads all those rubbish fairy tales. I fail to see how he'll ever be anything more than a janitor in some place or other. _

_At least Peter will only be staying two months, and then he's off to take some exam or course or something for college with some Professor Dirk or Murk no, wait I believe it's Kirke. I'll be glad to see him go; Peter's frightening in this really annoying way. Acting as if he's done something that's given him permission to behave as if he's forty years old instead of nineteen, and then he's protective of his siblings, as if I'd hurt them or something when he's got his back turned. _

_Then there's Lucy, always trying to get me involved in their silly games. Sometimes I pretend to join in, only to prove everything they say a total and utter falsehood. I mean really, a magical land in a wardrobe? I think Lucy's parents should have her head examined. But I don't dare mention it, Alberta would be angry if she found out that there are times when I almost like doing nothing of any value with the Pevensies. _

_There are those times when I wonder what it would be like to have siblings, but then I look at the Pevensies and how their parents practically left them on our doorstep while they waltz off to America, and think, no, it is far better being an only child, because my parents would never leave me with **them.** Changing topics; I would hate being under Peter's thumb, Edmund and Lucy don't seem to mind him bossing them around, but I won't let him do that to me. _

_I don't know why they keep going on about their silly game, it's embarrassing. They even talk about it in public sometimes. Someone says something, and Peter comments on what that random person said, then Edmund says something back to Peter and Lucy chimes in as she always does. Alberta and Harold never hear, because they're always walking ahead and talking about far more important things, but I have to hang back with the Pevensie brats, as if I'll be some sort of good influence on their already muddled, messed over lives, thanks to their parents' lack of interest in them. _

_Well, that's all for today, Eustace. _

**March 12****th**** 1944**

_I hate having to share my things! If only I could treat my cousins as one treats insects, then I could simply put them in a jar or pin them to my wall when I grow tired of them. I suppose I shall have to soldier through it as Harold says. Oh but Peter is practically intolerable. No matter what I say, what I do, he never manages to loose his calm, while Edmund can be easily goaded. I hate how Peter tries to interest my parents in religion, as if God cares about us, as if God even exists. If there truly was a Greater Being, than he wouldn't have let this war happen, and he wouldn't have let me have to suffer coping with my stupid cousins. _

_Peter spends his free time, when he isn't studying for that exam thing, either reading this Bible he received in this creepy way for this random man on the street, (which by the way he believes was a sign from God that He cares or something) or talking about dumb Narnia with his siblings. He can go on and bloody on about God. (Narnia too, but not so much)_

_He talks about how he was at this low point in his life (didn't tell us how he got there exactly) and that he was aimlessly walking through the streets one day when a man came up to him and asked him if he was lost. The man then says he means "spiritually lost" whatever that means, and then they have this long talk in a hotel lounge, ending with the man leaving Peter a Bible, and telling him to seek God, and never stop pursuing a relationship with Him. _

_Peter says that God wants this in-depth, personal relationship with each of us, and that that's what we're missing. That everyone needs something and goes about life seeking after it, even if they don't know what it is they're seeking. He then goes on about how we have to find God here and now because someday God won't let us find him and our faith has to be strong in those times. Peter says those are the times God will test our faith, to see if it's solid, or hollow. I don't know how I personally feel about all this talk. There was that one time when I almost believed Peter about his depression, but I don't know now, the memory is slightly fuzzy. _

_I walked in to tell him something, (can't remember what, as I forgot it when I saw him) I don't believe I've ever seen someone look like they're in that much pain before. I actually thought he was crying at first, but he's far too proud to ever do that, I think. He covered it quickly though. Then there are those other times when he's staring out the open windows at the trees or sun, or nothing at all, just **blindly staring,** whispering something to himself. Sometimes he whispers in this weird foreign language, but other times it's in English, and only then do I realize its poetry. _

_Bloody weird poetry too. About far-off lands, wars, death, love, and other nonsense, rather like Shakespeare and Brooke I guess. I don't know where he found the time to memorize lines and lines of the stuff, I mean, seriously, he is only nineteen, and he can rattle off hundreds of verses. Some though, when he once caught me listening, he said are songs from this place he's been. _

_I really don't know what to make of Peter Pevensie. He's a puzzle, not that I'm curious about them or anything! But I mean, watching them does make one wonder at times. Well, that's all for today, Eustace_

_**March 15**__**th**__**, 1944**_

_I hate being made to feel imprisoned in my own house! I hate having to share a room with Edmund and I hate Peter! He's driving me off the blooming edge of my sanity with all this God talk! I wish he'd shut up and crawl into some dark hole to die, or, just leave me in peace! Why-oh-why can't their parents come back for some reason or other and take them away? Mainly my problem is Peter, but Edmund is a large part of it as well. _

_I am getting so sick about how "God will change me" "God wants me to love him" "God doesn't want me to spend my life uselessly without him" "God's son died for me, so I could be free of my sins" (as if I've committed any, I'm far too young) Peter talks about how he didn't think anything of God either but God knew he needed Him, and so He taught him some very important lessons about finding Him and looking for Him no matter what. I swear, it's almost as if I'm hounded by him all day long on the subject of God and my spiritual well-being! _

_Then there's Edmund. He's constantly going at me about how he was just like I was, and that I can change, I can be different, (as if I need to change. It's him who needs to change) that I need to grow up, but not "grow up into an adult" grow up, mentally, spiritually (there's that bloody word again) and that he wishes I'd either change or stay out of his way, or he'll do something I won't forget. You know he's threatened me a number of times if I don't stop annoying him. I keep up the nagging though because it's rather interesting to see how far I can go before he reacts. _

_Well, I guess that's all for today, Eustace_

**~|XX0o8o0XX|~**

_**April 1**__**st**__** 1944**_

_I feel horrible for abandoning you like that, sorry, but my life has been pretty busy, trying to keep those Pevensies in line and staying away from Peter and his lectures. I feel badly about not writing for so long, so I shall try to reinvent what has happened in my life as best I can. Well, last month…_

**~|X:o0o:X|~**

**{The evening of March 3****rd****, 1944}**

Eustace scowled as he sat down to dinner, it was to be the Scrubb's first dinner with the Pevensies, and Eustace was not at all amused. He already disliked these brats. Why his uncle married Helen he would never understand. He almost wondered if Peter was even John's son, the older boy looked nothing like John, with his blonde hair and blue eyes. But, Eustace grudgingly admitted to himself sometime later, when Peter laughed about something Harold said, that the older boy did smile and laugh like John.

The conversation soon drifted into silence, Alberta and Harold not knowing anything more to talk about. After eating in the quiet for a while, Peter looked up. He placed his fork down on his plate and looked over in Harold's direction.

"Aunt Alberta, Uncle Harold, I have a question, and I hope not to sound very rude when I ask; do you believe in God?" Peter waited for them to respond. Alberta colored slightly and looked down at her lap, fiddling with the corner of her linen napkin. Harold looked rather shocked by such a blunt question, but composed himself faster than Alberta. Eustace was shocked that his cousin had the gall to ask such a question.

"Well, Peter, I suppose that every human believes in some Greater Being or Force in our lives, controlling the world and things around us. Some might not admit it, but everyone believes." Harold replied.

"No, that's not what I meant, I meant, do _you_ believe in God, do _you_ have a relationship with Him, I don't care about the rest of the world at the moment, I'm talking about _you_." Peter met Harold's gaze, wanting to have an answer.

"What have you been reading son? You sound like some religious hermit one might find in the recluses of the mountains!" Harold tried to laugh off Peter's question, make a joke of it, but Peter, seeing the need, seeing that his relatives _needed_ _something_ _more_ in their lives, was not to be dissuaded. Everyone at the table laughed slightly, except for Lucy and Edmund, who knew how important this was to Peter.

"I've been reading nothing but God's word, not some fancy book on the ideals of religion. I have come to realize that all my life I've been searching for something, earnestly, doggedly, and finally, _finally_, I believe I've found a resting place at last. _God_ is that resting place, He's the calm in the midst of this war-torn, shrapnel riddled country. He's my peace." Peter finished quietly, yet firmly. He reached for his glass while he waited for Harold or Alberta to say something.

Eustace slouched in his seat slightly, hiding his scowl in his napkin. He hated it when people tried to prove there was a Greater Being, or push their faith on others, especially on his family. He wasn't going to say anything – yet.

"Well, it's wonderful to know you found something that interests you Peter. Everyone deserves a calm spot, a "happy place" so-to-speak in their lives, I'm glad religion is the answer for you, just, don't go too far with it, not many people believe there is a God since this war." Harold replied dismissively, picking up his fork and resuming his meal. Edmund made an inaudible groan and put his hand over his face; no one ever did that to Peter and got away with it.

"I'm not talking about some Zen idea of a "happy place" Uncle. I'm talking about the relief, the freedom, the release one feels when they've given everything to the One who knows, and who understands, even when you don't. I'm not trying to spike an argument here, but what I'm saying is that once, I believed like every typical Christian. I went to church with my parents, I was taught that there was a God, and that His son died for others so that we might go to Heaven, but, until now, I never understood what that death on the cross was all about. God saved me, when I felt like there was nothing left; He literally, spiritually, mentally, physically, became my Savior. I'm not saying that now I'm perfect, I still have _so_ _much_ to work on, but I am saying I understand His death much more deeply than I ever have before."

"Peter, that is a wonderful argument, well, an intellectual one, but if there was a God, do you really think he would've let this happen? In the Bible, it says that "God is a God of love", now, would a God of love have let so many of England's sons die in this hellish war?" Harold said, looking over his gold spectacle rims at Peter pointedly. Eustace smiled slightly, thinking Peter was trapped.

"I may not understand much yet, about the world, politics, and Christianity," Peter paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. If they were in another situation, Edmund would've snickered at that statement; Peter was older than many of these people, spiritually and mentally.

"But, I believe that God doesn't just "let" any of these unfortunate circumstances happen to us for no understandable reason. If life was nothing but flowers, peace and love, wouldn't we fail to remember God, the "Greater Power" who created us? Wouldn't we soon become meaningless bodies, just existing until these forms give out? God, in my few experiences, allows us to experience the low points of life, in order to teach us lessons we could learn no other way. Without all these things, we would have no need to discover the greatest secret in life, a lasting, _eternal_, relationship with God. I wish to pursue this one on one relationship until I can no longer go the distance, and I doubt if that time will ever come."

"Look, that is all fascinating, but perhaps you're reading far too much into the stories in the Bible. What if, Jesus of Nazareth was nothing but a moral teacher? Must one truly have such a fierce faith Peter, or are you just too enthusiastic over your new interest?" Harold tried to reason.

"Are you serious, a "moral teacher"? That is something he could never be. But, if you listened to Lewis, then you would know that." Peter smiled as if in on a massive secret.

"Lewis?" Alberta queried, trying to place the name.

"C.S. Lewis, a speaker on the radio." Peter clarified, once again reaching for his glass.

The discussion ended on that odd note, and everyone resumed eating, Alberta tried to keep the conversation from stalling by talking about nearly anything she could think of, so long as it would keep Peter from talking about religion, or, anything else for that matter. Eustace shot Peter looks of contempt that the young man missed, but Edmund saw, and would remember long after.

After dinner, while Alberta cleared the dishes and cleaned the kitchen, Eustace escorted the three Pevensies upstairs to their rooms. There were only four rooms in the house, two small guest rooms and the rooms that Eustace and his parents occupied. Peter and Edmund walked into the room that Peter would be staying to leave his bags. Edmund shifted, dropping one of Peter's suitcases, since the boys were holding all theirs, as well as some of Lucy's. Eustace leaned against the doorframe watching the three teenagers try to sort out the luggage. He hadn't bothered to ask if he could help, though he very well knew they needed it.

He then led Edmund to his room, and told him to drop the bags in the corner. Last and finally, he showed them to Lucy's room. They all looked around, and agreed silently, that, by far, this was the better of all the rooms. Yes, the room was rather plain with its white furnishings, but out the single east-facing window, one had an excellent view of the park slightly down the road. Though Peter didn't say anything at the time, the picture over the mantle was eye-catching. The boys left Lucy to unpack; promising to return after their own unpacking was done.

After Peter closed the door behind him, Lucy turned in a slow circle in the middle of the floor. A warm breeze that whispered of the coming English summer blew in from the open window; she smiled and walked over to it. Pushing aside the white lace curtains, she looked out into the fading light with a smile.

Never cease to look east.

**~o0o~**

Peter stopped at his door, and smiled at Edmund encouragingly. The other boy simply rolled his eyes, but smiled slightly in return. No matter what would ever happen, Peter would never stop being a protective, sometimes annoyingly so, oldest brother. He shook his head as he walked past and opened Eustace's bedroom door.

"Don't touch anything, I have it just the way it's supposed to be." Eustace muttered from where he sat at his desk, writing something down. Edmund knew better than to ask, knowing how it felt to have privacy invaded. The older boy tried to be understanding.

"I shall do my utmost best, but, if I may, where do I put my things?" Edmund looked around that room as he spoke.

"Things that need to be hung can go in the closet, things that don't, well, I've cleaned out the bottom drawer for you." Eustace pointed to the door of the closet and the drawer he spoke of with his pen, before returning to his writing.

"Thanks." Edmund said slowly, unpacking. The first thing he took out of one of his bags was the seven journals that he had no idea how to use. He stared down at the books in his hands for several seconds before standing and setting them down on top of the dresser. Eustace glanced up, curious against his will, trying to guess what sort of books they were.

"What sort of literature do you like to read?" The blonde boy asked abruptly, putting down his pen and closing the book he had been writing in.

"Well, that _is_ a question. I like the law, but I also enjoy reading fictional works. It's rather difficult to pinpoint what exactly I like to read." Edmund replied, hanging up a few shirts in the closet, and putting the last suitcase on the high shelf.

"By fictional works you mean fairytales, don't you?" Eustace said, crossing his arms and raising a golden eyebrow, staring at Edmund with a bored, know-it-all look on his face.

"I suppose some of the things I read could be fairytales, but that's only if one's into labels." Edmund replied. Trying to ease off a subject that clearly Eustace liked to argue over, he pointed to the twin beds.

"So, which one is mine for the duration of my stay?"

"The one closest to the door." Eustace answered, pointing. Edmund nodded in thanks. "I'm going to go talk with Lucy and Peter, you don't mind, or, you don't want to go with me?" Edmund offered, not wanting to ask, but knowing it was the better thing, something Peter would do, to do.

"No, I don't think I shall." Eustace replied, turning back to his desk. Edmund shrugged as he left the room, turning back once more, he asked; "You're sure?"

"Very." Eustace returned. Edmund closed the door behind him.

**~o0o~**

Peter was already in Lucy's room, looking at the painting on the mantle, and talking with Lucy, when Edmund walked in. "What have I interrupted?" Edmund asked with a smile when his siblings stopped talking and turned to welcome him.

"Nothing, Peter was just talking about the painting, and how it reminded him of Narnia, and how he had wanted to try to sail to Aslan's Country in the Golden Age. Remember that? That was when things were starting to go back to normal after the Witch's reign. I'm glad Amalia and Susan put you off that idea Peter, you might've never come back to us if we had let you!" Lucy laughed.

"And still I shall always wonder what might have happened had I gone." Peter said with a gentle smile, a far off look in his blue eyes as his gaze returned to the framed picture.

Lucy's expression took on a look of chagrin when she realized she'd said mention of Amalia. "Oh, I'm sorry, for mentioning-"

"Don't be." Peter cut in quickly, placing a hand on her shoulder. From Edmund's vantage point, he could tell that it still hurt his brother, but he was healing and time would only help. He silently resolved, walking over to join them. They soon relaxed and lounged around the room, Edmund reclining on the rug next to Lucy's bed, Lucy _on_ the bed, and Peter was leaning against the mantle, every now and then glancing up at the painting.

"Well then, if I was so bad, remember when you nearly killed Caspian? No? I swear you would've if Lucy hadn't stopped you!" Edmund said, laughing up at his brother, Lucy giggling on the bed, tears in her eyes from laughing.

"I wasn't going to kill him Ed, just, scare him a bit." Peter weakly tried to defend himself.

"No, seriously, you would've hit him, or, something. I really thought he was not going to live another five seconds until Lucy ran out to stop you two, and then, there are times when I think that he might've managed to kill _you_ if he had gotten to have a go with Rhindon." Edmund returned.

"Oh, when you said that you were the High King, I thought he was going to pass out from mortification right there. I know I almost did when he said he was Prince Caspian! I mean, we'd risked our lives traveling across hill and vale to find him, and he almost kills us, wouldn't you've wanted to just disappear if you had been in his place?" Lucy managed to get out between giggles.

"I suppose I might've. Though, all I could think of at that moment was that I had a lot to do if he was ever going to be worth anything as a king. I also was pretty blind to my own faults as well." Peter admitted, able to smile about it now.

"I suppose we all were rather bent on trying to live up to our reputations at that point. Though, I must admit, the only ones who really did that well were you girls. My idea of a castle raid didn't really fall through so well." Edmund commented, pulling at the fringe on the rug.

"Try, not, to mention that Ed, that _is_ something I'm still rather sore about. That time, I was very close to having second thoughts about helping him. I'd rather we not go into that yet." Peter spoke up, frowning ever so slightly at the memory of that failed plan. He tried not to think of the plan that would've worked, but failed.

"Well, Susan was not so much the Queen that I remembered, I just naturally assumed that she'd turn him down as she had every other man ever to fall in love with her. It wasn't until the very end that I realized she also cared." Lucy stated thoughtfully. Edmund was about to reply, when the door was pushed inward and Eustace walked in.

The blonde boy had been in his room, wondering if perhaps he should find out if they were talking about him and his parents the way his parents and he talked about them. He thought that that was most likely what they were doing. Since Eustace and his family talked about people behind their backs, he just naturally assumed that that was something the rest of the world did.

He stood at the door of the guest bedroom that Lucy was staying in and tried to see if he could hear anything of their discussion. What he heard them talking about surprised him. They were talking about some place called "Narnia". He listened for awhile, but against his will, he wanted to know more.

So, when he heard a pause in their discussion, he opened the door and walked in. Ashamed at the idea that he felt left out, and that he wanted to join in on the laughter and fun the three Pevensies were so obviously having, he feigned disinterest, trying instead to pretend that he had merely decided to join them.

Peter, trying to be kind because he knew that with Eustace here they couldn't discuss Narnia any longer, smiled at the blonde boy and welcomed him in. "So you want to join us? We're just going over old times." The nineteen year old explained with a welcoming smile.

"I was just tired of being alone. Carry on with your conversation, I don't mind." Eustace muttered, sitting down against the wall with his arms crossed and a bored expression on his face. The Pevensies looked at one another with confusion, Peter shrugging nonchalantly when Edmund did a "what's with him" gesture.

"So where were we? Well, I hope Mum and Dad enjoy their trip. From what I understand on the radio is the Germans have been making the crossing difficult right now." Peter spoke up, drifting to a new topic for Eustace's sake.

"Well, I-"

"Oh bother this, you and I both know this is not what you three were discussing before I came in. Before I came in you were talking about some place called Narnia! I don't want to get in the way of that discussion, so carry bloody on with it! And I promise I won't intrude." Eustace's outburst was so uncharacteristic of him, and so unexpected, that Lucy never got around to finishing her sentence, instead she and Edmund looked to Peter for a lead on what to do next.

"Where do we start? I don't suppose you would want to hear of the second adventure when you haven't even heard the first. And I suppose you'll also be wanting to know where Narnia is as well." As Peter spoke, Edmund and Lucy held in their shock, why was he doing this? He knew what Eustace was like, so why was he giving the annoying boy more ammunition with which to mock them later?

"I should like to know, yes." The blonde boy replied quickly.

"Well, Narnia is past the sun and across the ocean, after the farthest star and beyond the land of dreams. And you can only get there when you're not looking for it. Lucy was the first, playing hide and seek. Edmund was next, merely trying to scare her. I was last, because I believed the least, but when I thought about it the most, it was there. But if not for Lucy, we never would've found the way." Peter smiled fleetingly at his little sister as he spoke, remembering that first great adventure.

Edmund and Lucy shared glances, recalling their first adventure in Narnia as well. Edmund still felt the gnaw of guilt, but it was very faint, he knew he'd been forgiven, and he had accepted the forgiveness, he had become a changed person because of that forgiveness, and he would not waste that second chance by feeling sorry for things he could not change. The one thing Peter's opening of their story recalled to Lucy was snow, pale morning light sifting through branches heavy with the stuff, a dear new friend and a white embroidered handkerchief.

Eustace's voice interrupted their thoughts. "If this place is past the sun and stars, how then can you get to it? And "beyond the land of dreams" is illogical because there's no such place. You had better start explaining this cousin."

"Very well, but mind, you might not ever understand the things I'm going to tell you, so, Don't. Try." Peter admonished Eustace kindly, before continuing.

"We got into Narnia the first time through Digory's, well, Mr. Kirke's wardrobe. Narnia had been enchanted by a witch to always be winter, but never Christmas. When we arrived, the land was in it's hundredth year of winter-"

"Well, that's all rot and nonsense! Just goes to show you you've let all those silly books go to your heads! A country in a wardrobe, what rubbish!" Eustace interrupted, standing abruptly as he did so.

The younger boy had never been told fairy tales, but what he had always been told about them was that that they were dull make-believe things for children who were stupid or who didn't want to believe in the real world, and Eustace was horrified when he realized that he liked Peter's fairy story, and a small part of him wanted desperately to believe in it. That little bit of him that _wanted_ to hear the story soaked up Peter's words as a flower soaks up water and sunlight. But his human, logical side quickly squelched the feeling and stepped up to take the lead.

"I really can't believer you Peter, going on about all that nonsensical stuff, and I thought that you were nineteen! Aren't any of you ready to grow up and stop all this fairy world dreaming? You really must come off it before someone sees you as completely batty."

"Eustace, we _have_ grown up, more so than you could understand. I for one, say that if in imaginary world is better than the real world, than stay in the imaginary world, because it has far more to offer than any real world I know. Perhaps during our stay here, you'll come to realize that, but, if not, than I can feel nothing but sorrow for you, because there is much you shall lose." As Peter spoke, Eustace stared at him, open mouthed with shock. He couldn't believe the audacity of his cousin. He sputtered several times, before he left, closing the door behind him.

"Why did you tell him about Narnia, and then just let him walk away like that? He doesn't deserve to know about Narnia, he doesn't believe in it! How Peter?" Edmund looked at his brother, confusion and disbelief in his brown eyes.

"Because Edmund, being Christian means I must try to forgive the inexcusable in him, as Aslan forgave the inexcusable in me, and believe me, it's not easy, but I have to try. For I was once just as bad as Eustace." Peter replied.

"You were never that bad, me, well that's another story, but _you,_ you've never been anything but the best older brother, even when, at times _I_ didn't realize it." Edmund contradicted Peter, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Ed, that's just your prejudice opinion, because your my brother. We're none of us perfect Ed, and I think you should know that better than any of us, now it's my turn to learn. As I said at dinner, Aslan allows us to experience the low points in life, in order to teach us lessons we could learn no other way." The blonde young man rested his hand gently on the raven haired boy's shoulder, slowly - slowly - Edmund smiled.

* * *

Being a Christian means forgiving the inexcusable in others because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. C.S. Lewis

"God allows us to experience the low points in life, in order to teach us lessons we could learn no other way." C.S. Lewis

I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people most often say about Him [Jesus]: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg - or else he would be the Devil, you must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. ~ C.S. Lewis

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**~Author's Note~**

**First, let me apologize to all those who have been waiting so long for this chapter! **I am so, so sorry!** But, in my defense, (I have no sleigh, so this will be different from Santa's apology) I _have_ had really bad writer's block, and that has slowed me down extremely. **

**OK, moving on, what do you think of this chapter? I really enjoyed writing this, because I love writing diary-style (I keep a diary, so that wasn't all that hard, First Person POV is though) and I like entwining Lewis and his characters. **

**As you can see from the first two quotes at the end, those are what I largely based this chapter on. (the characters quote those quotes several times, well, ok, only Peter quotes them, but still, you get the idea)**

**(the third quote is from Lewis's "Mere Christianity" Which is an excellent book! That book, which by the way is a written record of his radio talks during the war, which Peter listens to)**

**Eustace has clearly met his cousins before, but after their first encounter with Narnia, as he says in his first entry that "Peter acts like royalty" hinting that he's never met Peter before their first Narnian adventure, (that he can recall) Also, this chapter is why Eustace says in chapter, I believe three of this story, "Still playing your old game?" because he's already heard them talking about Narnia in this chapter, which is the prequel to that chapter. **

**Also, Yay! Peter's first cameo appearance! (they'll be a few more and then Peter's chapter, then perhaps a bit more of him at the end. Sadly, nothing in-depth on him, at least until the fourth book in this quintet. **

* * *

**Ah, wait, one thing to settle first: **

**Peter is not as weird as Eustace makes him out to be, remember, Eustace is cynical and slightly brattish right now, so he paints things in a worse picture than they really are. **

**Peter, excited about his newfound faith, is like anyone who has his life changed in a miraculous way, he now sees the world through new eyes and only wants everyone else around him to see and believe in kind. He is enthusiastic and trying very hard to make this work, because he knows that with Aslan's help, he can.**

* * *

**Next order of business; **

**The third quote is what I largely based Alberta and Harold's characters and personalities on. I see them as these free-new-age-thinkers, who believe that religion is some sort of dark age, unmodern thing. I'm going to make them rather close-minded about religion right until the end pretty much. But to say anymore, well, that would be giving to story away...**

* * *

**Ah, yet another thing. Peter mentions that you only get to Narnia when you're not looking for it. I want to point out that whenever, movie-wise, they [Pevensies and Co] try to look for Narnia, she is nowhere to be found. But, running away, talking, and arguing, going about life, one soon finds themselves in Narnia. I rather like that. **

**Ah, and, still another thing, I like the idea that her [Lucy's] window faces east, foreshadowing the fact that that is the direction she will be going and that is why her room, instead of any other room in the house was chosen. Because, I mean really, Aslan doesn't need some painting to teleport them to Narnia, but he chose to use it as means to an end. (so to speak) **

**I like the idea that Peter was the one who pointed them to the painting in the first place, it's rather a neat idea. **

**Also, I am basing Peter's Christian character largely on my Dad. So, please remember that!**

* * *

**The Thing With Names. **

**"Jack" is typically a nickname for "John" so, I went with that, which is why Peter is rather surprised, [in Star~Crossed] that C.S. Lewis goes by Jack, because his father goes by that name as well. **

* * *

**It also seems that there will be far more chapters from Eustace's POV, as this chapter is less than one half of Eustace's first four diary entries. **

**By the way, when I do his diary entries, I'm going to do what I did in this first chapter starring him, put his POV and spin on things and the world around him first, then the way it really went. I think that will help you get a good picture of what goes on. I think about two, maybe three, more chapters of Eustace and then it's back to Narnia and regular POV. **

**Mainly because I know a lot of you would rather be there than having to go back through England's stay all over again. And besides that, all the Stars and what-not are staring over my shoulder, Arran is looking at me now in a rather reproachful manner, motioning for me to get on with it. Gavan's bemoaning his fate, Serene wants me to go back to the _Dawn Treader_ where I left off, and all-in-all I have some very opinionated and wordy OCs that I've created!**

**But I have no one to blame but myself! lol.**

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**I promise I will explain that little detail that Serene mentioned about the first and last Guardian bit. It's rather complicated, but I'll get to it! (This is the problem with writing a parallel story along with the main story, so many questions and not enough answers) **

**I'm glad you approve of my idea on faith. I really think that faith is fundamental on Narnia, so I decided to do that, as it seemed a key thing in Narnia. Faith was such a big part of getting to Narnia, so I wanted to include that. **

** I'm so glad you like Arran, I don't know if it's bad that I like writing him, or good, but I'm leaning toward good. Yeah, the Lucy/Gavan romance...I's gonna be good! **

**Ah, by the way, in case you didn't see it, I wrote you an A/N in chapter10 about your review regarding the movies and those interesting details you noticed! I don't know it you saw it, so, if you didn't, then you can go back and read it, because I replied to all of your details and tidbits you noticed!**

**Well, my deepest apologies for this chapter being so late, I shall try to work harder so the next one will be up next weekend, I promise! (Though if my WB holds out it might be next week, but I'll just have to see!)**

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**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...} Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note. **

**Happy reading, ~ W.H. **


	12. Eustace Part 2

**Chapter Twelve: Eustace Part 2.**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Cambridge England ~**

**[A continuation of the previous chapter, in which Eustace Clarence Scrubb wrote five diary entries.]**

**~|0\/o\/o\/o\/o\/0|~**

In picking up where we left off, Eustace walked out of the guest bedroom that was to be Lucy's for the duration of her stay, and stomped back to his own, to sulk. To sulk over the blow to his pride and the blow to his beliefs. Who was Peter Pevensie anyway, to talk to him as he had? The blonde haired boy was too ashamed to think about it for much longer, and soon went about getting ready to retire for the night. He went downstairs and bid goodnight to Alberta and Harold, before returning to his room and dressing for bed. he turned on his side, away from the lamp's annoyingly warm glow, reminding him of the feeling he'd felt when Peter had started talking of his and his brother's and sister's fairyland.

Lying there, in bed, trying to sleep, one often finds that as hard as one tries to forget and go to bed, that one can't. So Eustace waited for Edmund, knowing the older boy would have to come in some time to sleep, he couldn't stay up with his siblings all night, they all had to sleep too. Soon, Eustace heard footsteps outside his door, and sure enough, it was Edmund.

The tall dark haired boy kicked off his shoes, and collapsed tiredly on the bed next to his cousin's. Rolling over on his back, he stared up at the ceiling. He looked upwards for several minutes before sighing and whispering softly to the quiet room;

"Totdeauna și în eternitate."

Eustace watched Edmund silently, wondering what the strange words meant. It sounded haunting and tragic. Something that Eustace hadn't ever really though about before. Tragedy. It was an interesting word, the twelve year old surmised. And it sounded melancholy. The idea that a word to describe sorrow sounded so sad was fitting. With his thoughts on sorrow and meanings of words, Eustace eventually drifted off, finally to the sleep he had wanted an hour ago.

Edmund stayed awake long after, even though he didn't know the other boy had been up. Edmund thought over everything that had happened in his life, musing over things that had happened and wondering what might've gone on had he behaved differently. He stood back up to take off his tie, wondering how much longer Aslan would make them wait to go back.

**~o0o~**

The next day was rather quiet, as Alberta and Harold were letting the Pevensies settle in to life in the Scrubb household. Eustace tried to listen in on any conversations the Pevensies had, hoping the discussion of Narnia might continue, if only to ridicule it and prove it all a complete and utter lie, so he could put his doubts to rest.

Once, he got his chance. Peter stared at him with a weird look, not as if he was patronizing him, nor as if he was angry, Eustace couldn't place the nineteen year old's gaze. Edmund scowled and told the boy that if that was the way he felt about it, then he should get out. And Lucy seemed close to tears, a disheartened look on her normally cheerful face.

"Eustace, I really think, that, considering the deteriorated condition of my sister's emotions, and the more than obvious affections of my brother toward you, that it be best for you to vacate the premise of this room. We can discuss your actions later." Peter spoke up calmly, waving in the direction of the bedroom door as he and Edmund turned to console Lucy.

"But it's my house and-"

"Eustace, I will not discuss the matter further in here, go!" Peter's voice took on a more forceful tone as he interrupted and pointed toward the door.

"I don't know who you think you are, but don't think this is over!" Eustace managed to reply as he made a narrow escape out the door, closing it behind him sharply.

"What were you doing just then, playing High King once more?" Lucy jested through her tears. She quickly brushed them away as she spoke and tried to regain her composure.

"Yes, and I do believe it worked." Peter replied dryly, a small smile on his face. Edmund growled some smart remark under his breath as he paced behind them, angry with Eustace and angry at their parents for making them stay here.

"What was that Ed?" Peter queried, turning his head to look at his brother.

"Nothing, I just wish I had a good broadsword so I might act the part of Just King to that vagabond!" Edmund replied, his tone clearly implying that he was fearfully angered.

"Calm down, you lose your temper so quickly in this world, it's aggravating. Perhaps Eustace will come around, give him some time to get used to us. You're not exactly pleasant either right now." Peter reminded the outraged boy.

Edmund nodded in acknowledgement, before coming to sit down on the bed on Lucy's right side, and Peter moved up to sit on her left. Things would get better before he left, they had to, Peter thought as he reassured Edmund and Lucy.

**~o0o~**

Later that day, for he could find nothing better to do, as Lucy was writing letters to their parents, and a few of her friends, and Peter was studying, Edmund once again found himself in Eustace's company. He sat on his bed and looked down at the leather journal in his hands. He was so tired of just staring at them, but he didn't know what else to do with the books, no thoughts came to mind, even when he stared at them for hours on end.

Eustace was busy reading some book about foreign countries and such, which Edmund found disturbing, seeing the younger boy acting as if he was a miniature adult, it reminded him of what he'd said when he was younger, about children and them never knowing when to stop pretending. He shuddered at the idea of Lucy, or any of his siblings for that matter, acting like Eustace. Suddenly, as if the boy knew he was being stared at, he put a marker in the book and laid it on his nightstand. Sitting up from the reclining position he had moments before been in, he looked at Edmund.

"What do you want to do with yourself?" His cousin asked rather bluntly.

"Do with myself?" Edmund echoed, staring at Eustace doubtfully, wondering what the boy meant.

"Yes, what do you want to be, well, what I should say is, what occupation do you want to have when you become an adult?" Eustace clarified calmly, raising his blonde eyebrows and staring at Edmund expectantly.

"Well, I suppose I'd rather like to be a lawyer. I've always loved the law and things to do with that type of work, but it's rather deep for you to understand." Edmund admitted, knowing Eustace wouldn't want to hear of Narnia, his time there as her ruler, and how he became interested in the law.

"A lawyer? You don't study very hard. If you really wanted to be a lawyer, you'd study harder." Eustace dismissed Edmund's future occupation with another raising of his eyebrows and a waving of his hand.

"Oh really? And you know about my studying habits how?" Edmund queried, his temper rising.

"I know you, and therefore, much about you. Dr. Clayborn Munsen talks all about this sort of logic and know-how in his book, _"Reading Man". _It is very informative on how to view the world and people around you, I might lend it to you if you'd like."Eustace replied in a superior way.

"I don't have time to read some quack's idealistic world views. And you shouldn't either! You're a kid for heaven's sake, you should be outside, playing in the fresh air, reading stories of fiction and daydreaming about what next to do in your childish world, not about machines, and children in foreign countries doing exercises and all that other rot! Haven't your parents ever taught you how to simply have fun, and be good at it?" Edmund asked, nearly shouted, in anger, mixed with concern for this kid who didn't seem to know how to do anything but argue adult themed discussions.

"Well, you go off and play in your made up world along with all your siblings, just don't drag me into it, I want no part of your insanity, I'll be normal thank-you-very-much!" Eustace retorted. Edmund had been walking toward the door when Eustace said that, but now he turned back around, his eyes holding a fire in them that was unsettling.

"I can't just go back whenever I want, you little brat, and neither can Peter, he can never go back, and now Lucy and I are stuck here in this godforsaken house with you and your oddball parents until Aslan calls us! Do you know how bloody long that seems to me? I have to wait who-knows-how-long before going back, I did that the last time and Serene was gone, Phillip was gone everything - everyone - I knew and cared for was just bloody gone. All lost, so. Very. Bloody. Lost." Edmund's voice rose as he raged, and then descended to a whisper as he finished.

Eustace had leaned back in shock when Edmund exploded, and stared at the older boy as if he'd gone insane, for it very well looked almost as if he had. Eustace didn't manage to catch half of what Edmund was shouting about, and was busily trying to piece everything together that he had heard, when Peter came in quickly.

"Ed, Ed, get ahold of yourself!" Peter said, shaking his brother sharply to bring him out of his stupor. Edmund stopped muttering when Peter shook him and looked up at his brother in surprise and dismay.

"Do you honestly think shouting at him will help matters any? Where's that boy I knew who was wiser than any man before or after him? Use that wisdom of yours and calm down!" Peter's voice wasn't loud, but it was firm and soothing.

"I'm sorry, I don't know why I just lost it like that Peter. Sorry Eustace." Edmund genuinely apologized to his brother, but his expression begged to differ when his gaze swept across Eustace sitting on his bed.

"You should be. Watch yourself in the future, cousin." Eustace replied haughtily, he was by no means cowed by Edmund's anger and frustration at him, in fact, it seemed to Peter that he enjoyed being able to make the older boy angry and loose his calm.

"Come on, Go find something else to do, I want to talk to our cousin." Peter said, turning Edmund to face the door. Edmund nodded, wanting nothing better than to leave.

"Now, what is it about you that angers my brother so?" Peter demanded of Eustace firmly. Sandy-blonde stared at blonde, blue eyes stared into hazel. Peter's gaze won out though, and Eustace lowered his eyes to look at the sheets.

"I don't know, he has the problems, I'm fine. As far as I'm concerned, all of you are bonkers. Alberta, Harold and I are the only sane ones."

"And how is that?" Peter queried, crossing his arms and staring at Eustace with a benevolent expression, causing Eustace to scowl before responding.

"A magical land? In a wardrobe? Really, just how logical does that sound to you? And besides that, all you believe is magic and true love and tons of other rot. None of it's real, yet none of you seem to know that. One day reality will knock you awake and then you'll be wishing you were more like me."

"Perhaps Eustace, but then, perhaps not. I don't think you fully understand what Edmund, Lucy and I share. I don't know if you ever will. You spend all your time trying to be right and superior to everyone else, that you miss the wonderful moments of just being a kid. If you keep at it, you'll miss God too. And that is something I loath to ever happen to you."

"Well, of all the know-it-all, sage things to say! You might be able to boss those two around, and get them to believe in your silly God, but do not think I shall be suckered into it, what I told Edmund, I'll tell you, do not drag me into your game, I won't have it cousin." Eustace replied firmly, picking his book back up and opening it, trying to end the discussion.

"Very well Eustace, but I won't give up on you, and neither will He, until every last hope as been extinguished. Therefore, I have hope for you, because there was hope for me." Peter said, his determination clearly defined by his words.

"Cousin, you have an incredibly deluded belief in God. I truly pity you. You talk as if there is some Greater Being, or, if there is one, as if He cares. Well, here's a revelation for you; He doesn't, if he did, than neither of us would be here. You staying in a house that doesn't abide your silly, fantastical beliefs, and me with mentally damaged people who call themselves my relatives!"

"Perhaps God put us both here in this situation for a reason, and I must find it Eustace, did you ever think of that? God's thoughts are not our thoughts, so we must have patience in the "Grand Scheme of Things" as you philosophical people like to call time. And I wonder, in doing things we don't fully comprehend, does He not test our faith in Him?" With that parting thought, Peter walked out, leaving Eustace staring after him but momentarily, before returning to the pages of his book.

**~o0o~**

Narnia, nor anything so profound as Eustace's discussion with Peter was mentioned in several days, until one day, when they were walking back from church, as Alberta and Harold believed that exorcise was one of the five "Most Valuable Things In Life".

A dapper gentleman walked past them in the opposite direction, but, in his passing, he doffed his hat and said to Alberta and Harold; "Cécile sends her greetings." With that small remark, he quickly moved on, but Edmund glanced at Peter with a grin, before both young men chorused;

"Urresta sends her greetings, my Kings!"

The chuckled and shared fond looks, while Lucy begged to be let in on the secret. Peter and Edmund told her about their race on Yuletide's Eve, and how on the way back to The Cair they had come across Restvar the satyr on his way home, and he had called that out to them.

Eustace rolled his eyes in annoyance as their discussion turned down paths of vague Narnian stories, but never giving anything away, it simply sounded like they were talking of friends, or, if one listened closer, a good book they all loved. But because Eustace knew what they were talking about, he rolled his eyes, feeling humiliated when a woman looked at them because Edmund was carrying on as if they weren't in public.

Eustace, for the first time he could remember, lagged behind, hoping to be unassociated with his cousins. The boy sighed in relief when they finally walked up their front path. Another thirty minutes listening to these three and he would surely have passed out from mortification where he stood.

**~o0o~**

When they had all become situated in the living room, Alberta drinking some coffee and Harold reading the Sunday paper, Eustace finally thought they would get a break from the Pevensies. But in walked Peter, his siblings following. The nineteen year old sat down and looked at the wood floor, Alberta didn't believe in carpets, "too dusty" she claimed, before smiling and looking over at his uncle.

"And what, if I might ask, did you think of today's sermon? Does your pastor always talk about love and pity and then evil Germans that need to be destroyed?" Peter asked, his expression curious.

"Hmm, I suppose so." Harold tried to skirt around the question, not overly eager to get into yet another discussion with Peter over religion.

"He's wrong you know. I'm not saying I know more than he does, but he can't go talking about loving our fellow man and having pity for all those poor Jews who are being massacred and then treat the Germans as if their the Devil incarnate, and "must be stopped at all costs". What they're doing is wrong, surely, but we cannot exclude them from God and his mercy."

"Peter, don't you have anything better to do? How about you go do something else, don't you have a young lady friend like most boys your age? I don't care if you're on the phone for hours, just, please, stop all this." Harold tried to push Peter away, unknowingly touching on a subject that was painful for the young man.

"No, there's no one like that in my life, anymore. You see, she died." Peter smiled, but it was clearly a difficult thing for him to say. Alberta looked up from her magazine, shocked.

"Oh Peter, why hadn't you told us? I'm truly sorry for the loss." Alberta said.

Lucy wanted, at that moment, to jump up and go comfort her brother, knowing that what he'd said was true, nearly, but Amalia had been much more to him than a friend. But Peter had to battle this alone this time, and she couldn't help, as much as she wanted to.

"I'm sorry as well Peter, I suppose none of us knew," And, because Harold truly was a caring man, he felt he might just indulge Peter in his arguments for a little while. "Now, what were you saying about the sermon?"

Eustace scowled at the fact that his father and mother were playing along with the older boy. Why in heaven's name didn't they just put him in his place? All this silly nonsense about God and revelations and saving lives, it was insulting to his ears. Eustace sulked while Peter talked about his experiences with God, and how he came to own his Bible. Alberta and Harold listened, but only partly, merely thinking to indulge him.

But they had opened a door far larger than they had imagined. Peter was always enthusiastic about his subject, and had always been an excellent storyteller, in this world, he was no different. Lucy, watching her oldest brother become more animated and alive than she had seen him in years, knew that this was truly Aslan's gift to him, and that this was what Aslan had wanted Peter to find.

**~o0o~**

Eustace walked downstairs for breakfast, and heard Peter going on about something spiritual from the kitchen, he groaned, not _again! _This was getting old.

"It's not sitting in a pew, but actually spending time with him, that God wants. Why do we, as humans, want interpersonal relationships? Because God created us to have a relationship with him in mind, so, no matter how hard we try to fill that gap with everything this world has to offer, we can't."

"And that's all, nothing more?" Alberta asked, genuinely interested now.

"Well, no, you have to give up many things that you used to love, drinking or money or material wealth, whatever you love before God."

"So, you're saying that if I loved going to parties with friends, and other such things, I would have to give that up completely?" Alberta's voice carried a hint of displeasure at the idea of giving everything up.

"No, you can still do those things, but, God will be first, only do those things after God, nothing seemingly big will change, but after a time, you'll look back on your life and you'll realize that so much has changed. You'll crave for material things less, and a relationship with God more."

"Well, I suppose that makes sense." Alberta replied slowly.

"I know, it's confusing, but after a while, you slowly begin to understand, I still don't about many things though. But, I am only human, and well, I'll learn." Eustace could hear the smile in his voice as they younger boy peeked around the entryway into the kitchen.

"Oh, hello Eustace, I was just talking with your mother, would, would you like to join in on the conversation?" Peter asked, when he noticed the other boy. His tone slightly hesitant, knowing how many times Eustace had mocked and ridiculed his beliefs.

"I'm sure he would, he's really bright you know. Such a smart boy." Alberta broke in, praising her son.

"I might, though really I was quite hungry, when will breakfast be ready?" Eustace partially ignored Peter and turned to his mother instead.

"Oh, yes, breakfast, so sorry Peter, but I really must get back to cooking. A healthy, balanced meal requires detailed attention you know." So Eustace stopped all religious talk, at least for a little while.

**~o0o~**

Peter was in the study when Eustace walked in, sitting by a window. Eustace was going to just pretend he didn't know Peter was there, until he realized the older boy was talking. Eustace, thinking he might finally have something he could use to find fault with Peter on, darted behind a heavy drape covering some books that Harold didn't want bleached by the sun. He listened, wondering who Peter was talking to. What he did hear was not what he was expecting at all.

Forget me not, as roses die,

And blooms don't last through spring.

The painfulness in hearts abound,

But still eternal love can bring

A summer's kiss,

A parting wish, that through the snow,

You will remember, ah, how I loved you so.

Autumn leaves fall in a gentle breeze,

And meet the ground to sleep

Under a cool bed of ice, the winter she shall keep.

Remember me when roses die,

And spring blooms do fade to dust.

I give you my heart, to always, keep in everlasting trust.

The years do pass,

T'will not forget the spring rain,

The summer shadows,

And autumn's pain

Nor winter's kiss of graceful death,

Will never mar the grave's agonizing request.

My love is eternal, it will never cease to burn,

You are my only love,

And truly will remain so, until the world forgets to turn.

_"Poetry? I did not expect cousin to know anything of the sort, he seems too rough to comprehend any such thing." _Eustace thought as he listened to Peter quote the lines under his breath. It was strange to think that Peter, of all people, would be quoting poetry. He just didn't look the type. Eustace fidgeted wondering just how long Peter would sit there, staring out the window.

Eventually though, Peter did leave, and Eustace came out of hiding. This was not the first time he would hear Peter quoting poetry. Eustace forgot the book he had been going to read and instead left the study, deciding to ask his father about poetry and what sort of people wrote it and why was it so important?

* * *

**A/N:**

**Well, I know this is short, and personally, not my best. But it will have to do, I just can't bear to write Eustace much longer, and believe it or not, his still has two or more chapters! **

**For now though, I'm going to take a break and go back to Narnia for a chapter or two, to boost my spirits and my writing muse a bit. I love writing Eustace, but it gets exhausting at times! I promise I will write up Peter's chapter shortly! **

**Did you know we only have three more chapters to go before this fic has more chapters than Star~Crossed? I can't believe how long this one is going! (it's cool, isn't it?) **

**A big round of applause to Bekah, who helped edit/beta (?) a small part of this chapter for me, she helped with that, but sadly, my writer's block is a stubborn thing!**

**Now, moving on; What Edmund whispers is basically, roughly translated from Romanian as "Always and forever" in English, "Forever and into Eternity". His and Serene's line. **

**I like the idea of Edmund being slightly concerned for Eustace, even though they don't get along, deep down, Edmund does care for his cousin, and doesn't want him to miss out on all the good things in life.**

**I like the idea of Peter recovering, but sometimes his walls come down, and Eustace gets to see Peter's real self. The one experiencing all this emotional pain and loss. **

**I don't know what else to really talk about, except the poetry is all mine. ****I wrote it many years ago, so please, if it's not too cool or good, blame it on that! I did not edit anything in it either!**

**The little bit there where Edmund and Peter refer to Narnia happened in my one-shot, Christmas At The Cair.**

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**Thanks for review 7s7l! I fixed the problem. That was actually an honest mistake! It's what happens when I go around copying/pasting/deleting without doing anything but a quick hit-and-miss editorial. Many thanks for pointing it out. **

**Now, about your questions and/or reviews to previous chapters:**

**I edited all those heinous errors! (I think) So sorry for those, that was absolutely pathetic that I missed those. I thought you might like that line! I'm glad you like the fact that Lucy's room was on the east, it was something that occurred to me might be possible. I mean, pretty much every time they go to Narnia, their surroundings in our world coincide with something in Narnia.**

**Wardrobe made from Narnian wood, lamppost made from human metal. Underground train station, cave on The Cair's shores. (Once you think about it, why wouldn't her room be on the east side?) East side of house/picture of ship and ocean, they end up in that ocean with that ship which is heading east. **

**I'm glad you liked all those other tidbits and things, I like to think writers have to include little metaphors and allegories and what-not. **

**Well, please tell me what you think!**

* * *

**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...} Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note. **

**Happy reading, ~ W.H. **


	13. The Boundless Eastern Ocean

**Chapter Thirteen: The Boundless Eastern Ocean. **

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

After two days good sailing from the Lone Islands, everyone got back into their routines. Those that had just arrived on shipboard, (Edmund, Serene, Lucy, Eustace, and Adonijah) soon got into the demanding, yet, laid-back lifestyle of being at sea. On the evening of the second day, the wind was fair, and the waves calm, so, as on most ships, sailors finished their tasks, and all those who weren't on watch or sleeping for their watch-duty yet to come, sat above deck, ready to sing shanties, or tell tall tales and fancy yarns of life and love at sea.

Arran leaned back against the mast, a faint smile on his face, his hand lightly on his hilt, blue eyes dimly reflecting the Star's fiery magic within. Drinian stood at the helm, but he was not so far away from the merry group as to be excluded. Lucy was sitting cross-legged near the sailors, Edmund leaned against the rail with Serene, behind his sister. Susan and Caspian were also nearby, Susan holding a tired Rilian in her lap.

Gavan and Zephyr watched from their place on the stairs, not far away, but not close either, their keen hearing and eyesight making it easier for them to stay apart of the group and yet at a distance that was comfortable to them. The lamplight flickered cheerily on the faces of all those gathered 'round, waiting for whatever was to come. Eustace was hanging back in the shadows, sitting on a barrel, but still there all the same.

After a time, one of the older sailors, who was busy weaving some hemp into rope, looked up to make sure all who were going to come or could come were present. Doing so, he then began to talk.

"Well, be it a song or a tale first mates?" He said, his voice soft, but swaying up and down to the rise and fall of the waves against the ship's sides.

"I know of a song, I know of some tales too. But I also have a yernin' for Captain Arran to tell some stories, for I know he knows mor'n many." Another sailor called out from the rigging where he was hanging easily from it.

"Well what say ye, Captain Arran?" The sailor, Wiverne, who had first spoken, looked to Arran, his question mostly in his gaze.

"I would rather not, I know nothing more than the common seaman." Arran protested easily enough. But the sailor from the rigging spoke again.

"I know you're bluffing, friend from the sea, because my father, an' his father before him, an' so on, have told tale of a blonde pirate with manners as gracious as a King's and mercy nearly as great as Aslan's himself."

"Really, your father and ancestors told tale of me? I am not much older than your king here, how can this be so?" Arran tried once more to bluff his way out, not realizing how much this sailor truly knew.

"More as goin' on two hundred and somthin' years. You know tis true, I can tell by your face." The sailor replied, his tone not cruel, but easy with truth and knowledge.

Arran frowned, looking out to sea thoughtfully. "Very well, tis true. I shall tell a tale, as long as you listen well, for I have seen and forgotten more than any man here will ever learn in a hundred lifetimes." Arran's voice took on a new quality to it, a harsh, but yet graceful tone, as he spoke.

"Look well to a man who binds a promise with a handshake, for they are the betrayers of men. Once, many years ago, there was a young lad, not much older than you, Eustace, who signed on to a merchant vessel bound for Gandon. He seemed young, but he was far wiser to the world and the ocean than he let on. He was a fair worker, and did his share, as well as helping others where help was needed. He was not to realize that his kindness, and trusting nature was to be betrayed by the very man he called his friend."

Arran paused, taking a heavy breath, he continued. Caspian and Drinian knew that this tale was about him, and he was explaining, in the most impersonal way he could, why he went by a man's word, and not by a handshake.

"He sailed with the crew for some time, melding into the lifestyle of merchant sailor with ease. But he was not prepared for the unwelcome reception to his magic, for he was the son of a Star, and these sailors greatly feared magic, or anything of it's like. He thought to first confide in his friend, for the man promised to keep his head, and sealed that same promise with a handshake."

"But he was a liar, and he lied as if it was a common thing. He betrayed me, ruining any chance I might have ever had of showing those men that I was not a thing to be feared. As soon as Gandon was reached, I was tossed off like so much merchandise, though less kindly."

"Not long after, a Captain took me in and showed me the ways of a trade you all know well. I learnt from him that a man's word is far more valuable than anything they could offer, because, even a liar values his word. Once that reputation of a faithful promise is gone, how could one ever make a decent living?" Arran leaned back heavily against the mast as he finished, clearly still angry at what had happened so many years ago.

But the sailors nodded, looking at one another after listening to the story. Many tales, even the ones that were fake in origin, had a truth that rang in them, and were to be heeded.

"Should we have some dancing and song now?" Asked another sailor from his place against the rail. A rousing cheer went up, and several sailors removed some small flutes or other instruments from the folds of their vests and shirts.

"The Roaming Lover!" Another sailor suggested. Serene turned alertly toward the man, looking surprised. She did not know her song for Edmund had become a shanty sung by sailors. She moved slightly away from the rail as the sailors started the song, but before they could even say the first word of it, she was singing.

_"Far away you wish to roam,_

_In a place that none should call home._

_But still, you wish to wander, my love._

_Nor sea nor sky, nor the heavens above,_

_could cease this endless, boundless wandering soul,_

_For this craving of adventure, it makes you whole. _

Edmund started when she began singing, but smiled when he realized he still knew the words. "Can you still dance it too?" He whispered, coming to stand next to her. She nodded and in reply slowly twirled around him.

_"To let you go, is an endless ache,_

_But you are free, and belong of the wind, the sky, the sea._

_I bid you go, but you must always know,_

_My roaming lover, this heart of mine is yours _

_Shores cannot bind, nor mountains cease,_

_my everlasting love for you that runs so deep."_

He smiled, dancing with her, this was almost like it had been. She smiled back.

_"Wind, rain, and desert sands,_

_Grass, mountains, faraway lands_

_Brine, foam, the storm toss'd sea,_

_After a time, you shall come back to me._

_Wherever you hither, wherever you roam_

_I know to me you will come home._

_Though your ship be lost, the snows blow hard,_

_My love for you shall be thy guard."_

She reached the end of the rendition, the sailor's flutes echoing the last forlorn notes. Edmund brought her close, bringing the dance to an end. "That was very good, I did not think you would remember." He whispered.

"I would not forget my love. Forever and into eternity." She replied.

The audience watching them clapped. The sailors who had been playing nodded to her when she looked over at them. "You played a fine tune." She thanked them. Caspian and Susan remembered the end of the song from when they had met her on the mountains in Narnia. They did not know there had been more to it.

"Let's have another song, and see if the Enchantress or the King knows it too!" Several sailors cheered, causing Serene to blush and Edmund to shake his head. But still, they insisted and another song was produced, though, this one was far more lively in tune. As a few sailors started to dance to the spirited tune, Gavan and Zephyr surprisingly walked around the group, Zephyr standing next to his brother, and Gavan dancing with several other sailors, both young men grinning as if they knew a great secret.

_"On the fourteenth of Snowbrice we sailed from land _

_In the bold **Princess Royal** bound for the mainland _

_We had forty bright seamen in our ship's company _

_So boldly from the Eastward to the Westward bore we _

_We had not been sailing scarce two days or three _

_When a man from our topmast a sail he did see _

_Come bearing down on us to see where we bore _

_And under her mizzen black colors she wore. _

Lucy was whisked off her feet by Gavan and into the dance. She laughingly joined, but soon was out of breath, unaccustomed to dancing in such a manner. Arran, who had watched the dancing and singing previously without a single expression on his face, now smiled slightly to himself.

_'By the Lion' cried our captain what shall we do now _

_Here comes a bold pirate to rob us I know _

_'Oh no' cried our chief mate that shall not be so _

_We will shake out our reef and away from him we'll go _

_It was the next morning at the dawning of the day _

_This pirate shot under our lee-way _

Gavan and Zephyr glanced over at Arran slyly every now and then, as if they were waiting for his reaction to the song. They even tried to get him to dance a time or two, Drinian noted, but the pirate captain refused with a wave of his hand.

_'Whence came you' cried the pirate, and we answered him so _

_'We are out of fair Gandon bound for Jessapoe' _

_'Then back your main topsails and heave your ship to_

_For I've a letter to send down to you'_

_'If I back my topsail and heave my ship to_

_It will be for some Lord and not 'longside you' _

When the third verse was finished, Arran laughed aloud, shaking his head in clear amusement. Which caused Drinian to smile slightly, wondering what was so funny.

_He chased us to the Eastward all that livelong day_

_He chased us to the Westward but he couldn't make way _

_He chased after us, but did not prevail _

_And the bold **Princess Royal** soon showed him her tail _

_'Oh now' cried our captain 'the pirate is gone' _

_Go down for your grog boys go down every one _

_Go down for your grog boys and be of good cheer_

_ For while we've got sea room, bold lads never fear!"_

The musicians played on for the dancers, but the tune was much slower now that there was no more verse to go along with it. Arran laughed once more, before saying, loud enough for all to hear, "I swear I was only going to give him a letter, and The _Princess Royal_ did not escape me, her new name is _The Sea Serpent!" He_ contradicted the shanty with eyes sparkling from laughter.

"It's true, my brother is the pirate in the song!" Gavan grinned, throwing his arm around his brother's shoulders.

"Whose ship was the _Princess Royal_ anyway? I always thought she was made up, I never hear of her unless'n it be in this song." A cabin boy spoke up from where he was now perched on the rail, out of breath from dancing.

"A ship from the Islands, long before your time!" Arran replied, still laughing.

"Let's have another story, just until we all get a second wind, anyways." A sailor, one of the musicians, said breathlessly.

"Who's a stranger yet to speak? We've heard from the pirate captain, we've sung a song for the Just King and his Lady, who is still to go?" Wiverne called out, looking around the gathered group.

"Well, why not I? I suppose I don't know as many tales as you men do, but I've a story or two." Rhince spoke up.

"What sort of stories?" Wiverne queried.

"Mermaids, magic and the world's end, a tale my father and his before him passed down through the generations." Rhince replied. The deck quieted as he began to speak.

"Hundreds of years ago, when the ocean had been more wild and mysterious than we could ever imagine, a young man dared to search out the ends of the world, to see what lay beyond the farthest reaches, to find what all others truly hope to find. _Aslan's Country."_

"He readied a ship, bid goodbye to his family and friends, and set out with his crew of twenty men who dared defy all odds. In searching for the reach between worlds, a towering wave with no end nor a beginning, he listened to any yarn and every yarn, but no man had advice enough to quench his desire to know what lay beyond."

"After seventy-five days at sea, without sight of land or another ship, he began to grow doubtful, thinking his was nothing but a foolish fancy. But then, as if by The Lion's doing himself, the lookout shouted "Land Ho!" and surely as we are all standing here, land it was."

"But a strange and unwelcoming land, the mystic island of the Fae. Where magic knew no bounds, and death was disguised as a charming lass. It was beautiful, this land, but it was no easy place to rest. Mists that rose in all manner of color, whispering devilish things, and enticing adventures that met a man only in death."

"He and his men decided to explore, believing that they could defy the odds with their wit and knowledge. as they walked the shores, they soon came to a dark water passage through the island. Returning to their ship, they decided to sail straight through to the other side, as they were less than halfway in, a gentle sigh, like a singer just finishing her song, was heard echoing across the bow."

"Then, an apparition, stood before them, beckoning with pale hands. Her long, flaming red hair tumbled about her shoulders, seaweed tying it back. A blue and green silk dress, as billowing and soft as the ocean to their backs she wore. Walking to the rail, down into the water she pointed, with the simple, haunting words, "Heed, Look, Learn, from their Greed" she faded into the coming mist."

"All the men rushed to the edge and stared down. Thousands of wrecks, unnoticed before, were they passing over. As they sailed further into the passage, tall masts could be seen rising up from the depths. In the dim light, a figure was distinguished, perching on the yard. As they drew closed, the mermaid's long shimmering tail could be easily recognized."

"All the men pulled back from the railing, fearing for their souls. For all wise sailors know that a mer lass's greatest fancy is to drag a man to the depths and hold his soul in ransom forever. With a silvery splash, she vanished. Some saw her come closer to the ship. She called our young lad by name, and something urged him to answer."

"He asked her what she wanted, and she said that for every life lived, there is a price that must be paid. She wondered as to what he would be willing to give, so as he and his men might leave Death's Passage safely. What is there to choose from? He asked."

"Oh, many things, she answered. While they conversed, his men became wary, thinking he was becoming bewitched by the creature of the sea. Tell me one, he demanded. If they wished to live and tell this tale, they must steal the Sapphire of Edantura, she replied. Tis an easy task, he mocked. Nay, not so easy as you might think, for this gem is kept somewhere in the heart of Divandandia, she answered. That was the name of the Fae island they had discovered."

Everyone waited, spellbound, for Rhince to continue. But he simply stopped, looked around at all the expectant faces and said with a smile; "If we have fair weather again tomorrow's eve, than perhaps I will finish, for now though, should we not have more songs and dancing?"

Some, including Eustace, sighed when he spoke. But everyone agreed that the best stories are better when they are told in bits and pieces, than all in one night. After several more songs, the group soon tiredly departed. Susan with a sleeping Rilian to care for, and the sailors knowing that the sun rises early on the high sea.

Edmund was following after Serene and Eustace, when something made him turn back to the deck. Gavan and Zephyr were still there, unmoving from where they had been standing since the dancing and singing. Momentarily he wondered as to Stars and their nature, what they were like. He shook his head to clear the thoughts and walked down the steps to bed.

"I know you can hear it to." Zephyr said suddenly.

"What?" Gavan queried, slightly confused.

"The sky, her calling is getting louder every night we stay away. If it gets any worse I'm going to have to tell Caspian I'll be going away for a few days." Zephyr elaborated for his brother.

"I know what you mean." Gavan replied.

"I wonder though, if we do go and come back, how will we be able to continue this journey with _her?"_ Zephyr glanced at his brother as he spoke.

"I ponder that question as well. Tonight I swear hers was the only call I heard." Gavan whispered.

"Well, keep your mind and don't answer it, no matter how enticing it may be." Zephyr said, starting to walk off.

"You're right, but how long can I ignore it when she continually seeks me out to talk to?" Gavan muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair.

"Well, you might have greater success if you didn't ask her to dance for one, or stay around to talk or let her talk to you for another." Zephyr replied, pausing in going below deck when he heard what his brother said.

Gavan scowled in response as Zephyr disappeared from view, before looking towards the bow when he heard a low cry of pain.

**~|X:o0o:X|~**

Lucy sat down on a crate as things started to calm down, in preparation for the dancing and tales that were to be told. When the sailor asked captain Arran to tell a story, Lucy was surprised by his stubborn refusal. Surely it wasn't so hard to tell a story, or to make up one, sailors in her time had always been filled with more stories than she could ever comprehend.

She was startled when the sailor denied Arran's age and mentioned something about two hundred years old. Even though the idea was astounding, it was plausible. Tumnus had, after all, been over a hundred when she'd first met him, and he was "still young", if she used the faun's own words. Besides that, Arran and his brothers were Stars, and stars never died, they were always there in the sky, so there was most likely a great deal of truth in the sailor's words.

It was not until Arran neared the end of his story that Lucy realized it was about him. She felt sorry for his bad experience with the Narnian merchants, but knew that no one's life was ever perfect or unscarred. Arran's story was taken with a great deal of weight, she also observed, as many of the sailors nodded when he finished and resumed his laid-back stance against the mast once more.

Lucy watched Edmund and Serene dance, amazed that Edmund was actually _dancing._ He usually was a watcher, never liking to be the center of attention. They, all too soon for her, finished their dance, which was some sort of promise between the two, and hadn't always been a shanty sung by sailors, from the way they danced to it obviously.

She laughed when it was suggested another song be sung to see if Edmund, Serene or perhaps both, new the words and dance steps to it. She looked around at everyone, smiling at Edmund and Serene standing next to one another, Arran, his brothers joining him as the first few bars of the music began, and Caspian, Susan and Rilian. They looked very content, and that made Lucy happy, seeing that. She only wished Peter were here, and Amalia as well, then, finally, would this group be complete.

She was not expecting Gavan to pull her to her feet and make her dance as well. "Why are you doing this?" She asked with a smile, breathlessly trying to keep up as he led her through the first, surprisingly intricate, steps of the dance.

"Because, I know how fine a dancer the Valiant Queen is!" He laughed.

"I am utterly lost in this though." She replied ruefully, as he twisted her around sharply, before letting go of her hand.

"Well, you're doing fine for a beginner." He returned, though not long after he noticed she was out of breath from dancing, so he led her back to where she had been sitting.

"It simply takes some getting used to." He said, moving off between the dancers to go help Zephyr entice their brother into the dancing circle, though, Lucy was sure they would have no luck in the matter. She was right. Arran laughed at whatever Gavan said, and pushed his brother back into the dancers.

She listened eagerly as Rhince began his tale, wondering if any of it were possibly true. The idea that it could be, that was fascinating! She smiled to herself when she notice Eustace listening and looking interested as well. He would come around, she was sure of it!

The story came to a pause far too soon in her opinion, but it was late, and everyone looked tired, well, excluding the Stars and herself. Something about Narnian stories always excited her and made her think of many things. She decided to go sit in the bow for awhile, hoping to soon tire enough to sleep.

As she stood there, looking up at the night sky, she decided that she might as well do something to occupy her hands. So, taking out her dagger, and reaching into a bucket of cloths nearby, she began cleaning the blade.

Lucy gasped when the wind suddenly picked up, pushing her off balance. She let go of her dagger to keep from falling over the rail, but quickly grabbed for it, forgetting about the sharpness of the blade. She let out a low cry of surprise and pain when she saw the red line emerge on her palm. The blood slowly trailed down her wrist, but she wiped it off with the rag she held.

"Do you need some help with that?" a male voice asked from behind her, causing her to turn in surprise. Gavan smiled and nodded at her hand.

"Oh, I suppose. I can't believe my stupidity." She said, quickly explaining about what had happened to cause the injury.

"May I see your dagger?" He asked, holding out his hand. "Of course." She replied absently, looking to see if the blood flow had slowed from her slice. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Gavan slice his own hand with her weapon. On purpose.

"Why did you do that?" She asked, looking at him in confusion.

"May I see your hand now?" He requested, ignoring her remark. She held it out, unsure about where he was going with all this. He took her injured hand in his injured hand and interlaced their fingers. She gasped slightly at the odd tingling feeling the seemed to course up her arm from her hand. He met her gaze and smiled.

"Don't worry, it'll pass. It's just my magic; it feels odd, doesn't it? You have no idea what it's like to feel yours."

"I - don't - have any magic." Lucy said, looking up at him in confusion.

"How do you think you got here? Why do you believe in this world and Aslan so strongly? It's because of your unique magic. And it is not weak, in fact, it rivals my own." Gavan explained.

"I think that should be enough now." He said several seconds later, slowly removing his hand. She stared at hers in shock, when she saw that the cut, and any traces of it, were gone.

"What about yours?" She asked, looking to his hand. He turned it palm up to show her that his self-inflicted wound was gone as well. "How?" She asked, meeting his gaze.

"I, like most of my people, can heal minor wounds and injuries, and sometimes, if we have enough magic, even fatal ones. But to use my magic would've taken longer on you, because of your mortality, than if I did it this way, so, I did it. My blood has, as I've said, strong magic coursing through it, so it healed you faster than if I had chanted a spell." Gavan explained, handing her dagger back.

Instead of leaving, he leaned against the rigging and stared up at the night sky. She watched him, curious. It caught her offguard when he looked over at her and smiled.

"You know, you have the most interesting wants. You want to know what it's like to be a Star, and you also want to see Aslan. But you almost never want the world you come from. It was only when Arran was near to dying that you wanted for something you called a 'hospital' that I understood what your world looks like, then the night of the ball when you wanted that manor in the country. Not to seem rude, but I hated it, and can see why you love it here."

"They're nothing, my thoughts. They're so petty and childish that I'd like it if you kept them to yourself." Lucy said in embarrassment.

"No, it's not your _thoughts,_ it's your _wants _I can see. I can't read your mind like an enchantress or a witch; and I don't know everything you want. But I know a_ great deal_ of what you want. Including what you want most right now." He said with a bashful smile before looking down. She blushed.

"I could make that real someday. No magic involved." He added, moving as if to go.

"No, don't leave! I-I mean…." She trailed off, knowing how improper that sounded. He tilted his head slightly to one side and looked at her curiously, his eyes sparkling in the moonlight. "It is a very good thing you cannot see my wants." He whispered suddenly, reaching out and pushing a strand of her hair away from her face.

"Why?" She asked, realizing what it would mean if they was caught by someone. Susan would give her a lecture she would not forget and Edmund would do what he'd always done in situations like these in the Golden Age, though, those had all involved Susan, not her.

"I want to kiss you more than anything. I want to hold you. I want to whisper your name over and over until even the night sky echoes it. And that is something I just cannot allow myself to do."

"Why ever not?" She whispered, meeting his gaze.

"Because, you are a Queen. The silver blood of Stars runs through me. You are chosen by Aslan to lead. You are destined. I cannot, will not, interfere. Besides, to love a Star? It has to be the hardest thing in the world. To love something that is not bound by man's logic or time. I crave only one other thing besides Aslan, and that is my freedom. It calls and I cannot ignore it." Gavan whispered almost fiercely.

"Then you don't have to love me. I didn't ask that, did I? I won't love you either. I should know better than anyone not to cage or imprison a Narnian being. I - I want to take you up on your offer from moments ago." She said suddenly, knowing she wanted that at least.

"Fine. But I only promise you that, nothing more. And, try not to be swept away." He said softly, leaning closer to her. Before she could ask what he meant though, he kissed her. That was when she understood. It felt almost like a fire consumed her. Everything seemed to whisper; the stars above them, the wind passing around them. Calling the most beautiful song she had ever heard in her life. She understood what he meant; it seemed to call in a way that made you want to cry from the beauty.

He put his arms around her waist and drew her closer, placing her hands on his shoulders, deepening the kiss. She wondered if kissing someone from her world was anything compared to this feeling. Almost as soon as she thought it, he pulled back slightly. "No, kissing a mortal is nothing like this." He whispered. "I thought you couldn't read minds." She said breathlessly. "Oh, but I can't." He replied, kissing her again. She sighed when he finally pulled back; she did not like the idea of going back to standing alone, of his arms no longer being around her.

"See?" He asked in a low tone, looking into her eyes.

"What?" She asked, thinking of nothing but kissing him again.

"Every time any other man kisses you, you will think of this feeling. And it cannot be repeated by any mere mortal." He replied softly, his eyes filled with pain. He wanted her and he wanted his freedom. It was an impossible choice. He removed her arms, knowing that he had to leave before he kissed her again, before he answered the pleading in her eyes.

"Must you go? Please, why can't this be enough for this moment?" She called after him. He turned around sharply.

"I don't know how long I could keep doing that, before we go too far. I have never felt magic sing to mine the way yours does. It is hypnotizing, it was something that drew me to you the first day I saw you. It's almost as if it echoes my own. I know you felt it when I kissed you. The sky sang to you too, the wind whispered its spell. That was my magic. But _yours_, the beauty, the fire, the passion. You could bring the most powerful of sorcerers to their knees with the magic you hold. It's like the charm of a siren to me. I have to try so hard to ignore it." He whispered falteringly, once again taking her in his arms.

"Don't then. For now just don't. Stay here with me." She asked, looking up at him as she slid her arms back around his neck.

"As long as you wish." He replied, smiling slightly at the irony. She sighed and closed her eyes, resting her head on his chest. He gazed up at the sky, wondering how long before this either consumed him, or destroyed him.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

Both were unaware that Caspian had been watching them. He had been unable to sleep, and so he thought that perhaps he needed some ocean air to clear his mind. He caught sight of them when she cried out, after grabbing her dagger. He had watched them with an open mind, until the young man kissed her. Then he started to walk down the stairs to the deck, bent on asking them just what they were thinking. A hand on his arm pulled him back. He turned sharply to face the person who had grabbed him.

Arran stared back silently, before dropping the king's arm. Clearly he wanted to say something, so Caspian walked back up to him. "Do not judge my brother. It is almost as hard for him to do as it is for you to watch angrily and helplessly. Luckily though, you have me. And with some of my exceptional, er, abilities, I will be able to explain." Arran waited for a reply.

"What can you tell me that is nothing better than he can?" Caspian declared in a sharp whisper.

"For one, _Sire_, to love a mortal and for a mortal to love a Star is not so easy as one might think. Unfortunately, unlike many Stars and half-Stars, we have not been actual 'stars' from a young age. We have been around mortals far too long. Durken fell in love with one, and since he wasn't a star before that, merely in name only, it was easy for him to ignore the offer. I became a Star, but after that, returned ever so often to earth to do some honest piracy. I fell in love. It is no easy thing." Arran paused to watch the two in the bow.

"To love a mortal, enough to give up the sky, enough to be able to forget the song that sings in your blood every night the sky turns dark and fills with stars, to forget freedom, is such a great thing. To fall in love with another Star, that has no difficulty to it, for you are of the same nature. But a human. To try to live on earth indefinitely, ignoring the call is the hardest thing. It will either kill you or you will learn to forget." Arran met Caspian's inquisitive gaze.

"Lucy is far different from any other mortal he's met. She is a Queen of Old. Yes, she _is_ mortal, but she carries a magic so strong because of her belief, that at times it is hard for even me to ignore the enticing whisper of it. All magic has a call, Caspian. Some say love is a sort of magic, I agree," Here he paused before continuing.

"It calls and everything else is displaced by it. Position matters not, nor power, refinement, character, status, does not want to answer her call, but he does not know how to ignore it either. So, he will either learn to forget, or learn to stay. Funny thing is, though," Arran moved to go.

"What?" Caspian queried.

"He's right. She will never be the same after doing this with a Star. Any man who kisses her will make her remember this moment, no matter how she tries to forget. Azalea told me something like that too. She tried to let another man court her, when she thought that I was just like any common sailor. But every time, she thought of me. She hates me for it, but at the same time, she can't stop loving me." Arran's gaze traveled to Gavan and Lucy before drifting back to Caspian. Then he walked away.

Caspian was left alone watching them, with thoughts he did not know how to answer.

**{XXXXXXXXX}**

"You must stop; it is hard enough to stand here, so please, no more wanting things that cannot be." Gavan whispered, looking down at Lucy.

"What?" She asked, looking confused.

"If you want to kiss me again, just ask; don't think it, because I want to act on selfish impulse. And I cannot."

"You told me not to use the word 'think' or 'thought' and yet you are." Lucy accused.

"I know, but for some reason, I can see what you want, almost as if you were saying it, every single thing." He replied, brushing her hair back against the breeze.

"Then answer them. Don't wait for me to ask." She said softly.

"Fine." He said, kissing her again. After several seconds passed though, he pulled back, knowing he had to stop.

"I cannot keep doing this. But there is something about you that makes me want to try, to try to ignore everything and just think only of you. Pity this isn't the Golden Age. If it were, I would have nearly as much standing as a king or noble. But it isn't, so I mustn't dwell on that. Good evening, my queen." He nodded and moved to leave.

"Say my name, without any title. Say it." She asked, watching him.

"Good evening, _Lucy_." He looked at her as he spoke, before walking away. Now that he was gone, only did everything start to sink in. She sighed and leaned against the railing, staring up at the stars, her eyes shining with wonder. He said he wouldn't fall in love, but she might.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Well, tell me what you think! This is part what I wrote over the week, part what I wrote before I even really started Shooting Stars. (most of the Gavan/Lucy part, I mean) I don't know what much there is to tell about this chapter, so I'll start with the basics:**

**The first song sung, the one Serene and Edmund danced to, well, the third verse was in Star~Crossed, I don't know if any of you remember that or not, so I'm mentioning it again. Those other two verses are the rest of the poem I mentioned in that chapter about "not being very Narnian" I changed most of the words to better fit Narnia, as I didn't want to take the time and write several new verses. I completely own that song, it is called "The Roamer". (already mentioned this in SC, but whatevs)**

**The second song is actually a real shanty, but I changed various words, such as February to "Snow Brice" and London to "Gandon" and Callao to "Jessapoe". (Gandon and Jessapoe are places in Narnia I created especially for my fanfics)**

**About Rhince's story, all I can really say is, _Remember It!_ (for later chapters, of course) Divandandia is going to come up in the near Narnian future! **

**Now, about the Gavan/Lucy thing. So far, he's not talking about love, in that sense. He is merely talking of attraction. Lucy doesn't really know what love is, she's never been in a relationship before, so all this is new. **

**Love it/hate it, tell me about your opinions in a review, feedback please, if no one likes it {i.e. Thinks this is too soon, tell me, we'll talk and I might rewrite the chapter} **

**I don't know what else to say really, except, if you need me to clarify - on anything - I will PM you or get back to you in my next A/N. **

**Remember, this was written during a period of extreme "lack-of-inspiration-ness", so it might not be all that great!**

**I promise to eventually get to Serene! (next chapter, I swear!)**

* * *

**By the way, big - no HUGE - thanks, (and everything else!) to those authors and readers out there who were so kind as to spend time writing, sometimes over a hundred word reviews, to keep me going, and to help me get back into the spirit of things! **

**You guys, having readers like you means the world, and I want you to know that that sort of caring, is what would keep even the most derelict of authors charging ahead into new frontiers of writing! I was touched by that sort of caring, you made me realize once again, why I started writing in the first place. **

**Not to be popular, amazing, or cool, but to use my abilities for the best, and to not worry about the small things, because perhaps I've touched someone someway, and will never know it, but I have, and that idea is great. Thank you ya'll!**

* * *

**Now, ****if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...} Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note.**

**Happy reading,**

**W.H. **


	14. Complicated

**Chapter Fourteen: Complicated**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Caspian departed the decks long before Lucy or Gavan, his thoughts exhausting him. He wondered at this new turn of events, and prayed that it would not worsen. He hoped Gavan had the sense to make sure nothing further _did_ happen, but from what Arran had told him, he worried. Besides, Peter had entrusted Edmund and Lucy to his care, he did not think he would be doing a responsible job of the task given him if he allowed Lucy to be hurt by the Star.

The next morning, he rose early. Walking up to the deck, all his thoughts from the night returned, burdening him with their added weight. As he stood there, on deck, watching the waves rise and fall in the distance, and then sweeping by, he noticed Susan standing by the rail, looking down. He smiled slightly, before walked over to her.

"And what is my lady studying so hard?" He asked, smiling crookedly as he slid his arms around her.

"Nothing I suppose, just the ocean," she replied softly, leaning back against him.

"It is beautiful." He agreed, following her gaze and watching the early morning sun dance across the crystal blue waves.

"The color, it, it reminds me of Rilian's eyes. So blue." Susan whispered, smiling to herself, as only a mother could.

"Like his mother's," Caspian answered, looking at her.

"You could charm a mermaid the way you give compliments! Continue to do that and it will go to my head." She jested.

"But I cannot deny what is true," Caspian whispered in her ear. "Besides, you are worth my every attention and deserve all the complements I can give."

Susan was about to reply, when from behind them Arran called out. "Caspian, I was waiting for you. I believe there is a matter we need to discuss, from last night?" The pirate looked at him expectantly after Caspian turned from Susan's side.

"Yes, Arran, of course." He answered. Giving Susan a parting kiss, he walked over to Arran, who proceeded to go to the chartroom. Apparently whatever they had to talk about was not something they wanted her to hear, Susan decided, before going off to see if either Rilian or Lucy was awake yet.

**~:|Xo0oX|:~ **

Edmund laughingly followed Serene to the top deck, joking about some random thing or other. Serene commented on the sharp, warm wind and the good time they must be making before Edmund noticed Gavan leaning against the mast, staring off thoughtfully. Serene stopped talking and came back to him when she noticed he had stayed behind.

"What gives you that speculative air Sire?" She asked lightly, her voice falling and rising with mirth.

"Gavan does. I wonder about him Serene, and his brothers. Always keeping to themselves, unlike the Stars I used to know of." Edmund murmured thoughtfully, before casting his eyes out to sea.

"Well, this is no longer the Golden Age, and many things have changed. Among them Stars. They are a quiet people now; no longer do they visit Lumea so often or sing at the palace. I fear that Gavan and his family are the last of the teren-bound Stars." Serene said quietly, her voice losing its gaiety.

"Was it really that long ago? It feels like I have slept for a night, and around me the world changed. I do not know this Narnia; I can no longer keep up with her. The painful truth is, she _has_ changed, and no longer welcomes me." Edmund replied, anguish in his tone as he spoke.

"No Edmund, she never ceases to welcome you, she only tells you when she no longer needs you, she only tells you goodbye. All must do it, all must say it. But in goodbye, there is a secret, it is good. For goodbye does not mean farewell, it only means stay in good company, until we next meet again." Serene soothed softly, smiling up at him as the wind combed through his hair, and swirled hers around her shoulders.

He smiled sadly down at her, knowing what she meant, and though it pained him, he agreed. Narnia was indeed telling him goodbye, she no longer was in need of the Pevensies of Finchley. She had a good king in Caspian, and a united country once more. Something told him that this was his last great journey in Narnia. Now it was time for someone else to take up the task of defending her, and Lumea. He just wondered _who_.

"Come, now is not the time to think of such painful things. Rejoice in the time you do have, else you will waste it longing for things that cannot be." Serene said softly.

"You're right, of course. I believe we were on our way to breakfast before I stopped, weren't we?" Edmund said with a small smile, his countenance brightening somewhat, though his brown eyes did not.

"Yes, let's go see if you family is awake yet!" Serene laughed, her merry attitude once again picking up. He laughed as well and walked after her.

**~o0o~**

Lucy woke with a start, remembering the night before as it came back in detail. She blushed as she thought about it. Dressing quickly, she started for the door as Susan came in. The queen smiled at her sister, glad that she was up, before moving to check on her baby. The little boy stared up at her silently, causing his mother to smile. "Aren't you quiet this morning!" She said, picking him up.

"Can I stay and help you dress him?" Lucy asked, recalling the time when she and Susan had helped Amalia with Lucian and Lilianna so many years ago.

"Why not? You are his aunt," Susan said with a smile, as the little boy let out a piercing squeal. Lucy giggled, covering her smile with her hand as Susan winced slightly, though Rilian looked quite proud of himself.

"Not so quiet after all, are you?" Susan murmured, running her fingers through the boy's matted hair. Rilian merely smiled and pulled on the end of her braid. Lucy laughed as she got some clothes for him.

"He's energetic, not at all like Lucian, is he?" Lucy commented as they walked out on deck minutes later, Susan carrying the baby.

"No, and I think that has something to do with his parents." Susan admitted, looking rather rueful.

"Well, at least he has wonderful parents!" Lucy replied with a laugh. Susan just shook her head in amusement as they walked to the galley. Lucy noticed that Edmund and Serene were already there, eating and talking with several of the sailors who were having breakfast as well.

"Sleep well?" Serene asked, looking over at them as they sat.

"Surprisingly, yes, though I think it was in part because Rilian was so tired he slept the whole night." Susan said, causing Serene to smile knowingly.

"Let's hope tonight is fair as well, so Rhince can finish his story! That is one tale I'd like to hear finished!" Didon, a faun, cheered.

"I wonder, do Stars have any power over weather? If they did, well than, we could be sure of a calm evening!" another sailor asked.

"I'm afraid there are very few who have such power, if any!" Arran's voice suddenly announced, as he and Caspian entered the room. Susan waited for Caspian to sit beside her, before she asked what they had been discussing. "Nothing, just the voyage," he replied quietly. She looked away, wondering what he was not telling her, and why.

**~o0o~**

Eustace had detested the breakfast fare when he saw it. If there was anything better, he was going to find it! Slipping away from the area where everyone was eating, he entered the kitchen, or, what called for a kitchen on this toy boat. Sifting through the foodstuffs, he came across a small basket of oranges.

"Probably carrying all sorts of diseases, but at least it's better than that horrid stuff they were eating." Eustace muttered, slipping the orange inside his shirt.

"Are you aware, stealing rations is a capital offense at sea!" A voice said, somewhere to his left. He looked around wildly, wondering who it was. "Up here!" The tip of Reep's tail touched his shoulder, pointing him in the right direction as Reepicheep made his presence known. Eustace grabbed the Mouse's tail, saying as he did so; "Look, I've had quite enough of you!" But, as he spoke, Reep's long, thin rapier was brandished in his face.

"Unhand the tail. The great Aslan himself gave me this tail, and no one, repeat, _no_ _one_, touches the tail, period, exclamation mark." He whispered threateningly. Eustace backed up, falling into some crates. "S-sorry," He stuttered nervously.

"Now, I will have the orange, then satisfaction!" Reep shouted, waving his blade inches from Eustace's nose.

"P-please, I don't believe in fighting and I don't have a sword, I'm a pacifist."

"Do I understand," Reep said sharply, withdrawing his sword momentarily, "that you do not intend to give me satisfaction?"

"I don't know what you mean," Eustace stuttered once more, "If you can't just pretend you never saw me, than I shan't bother my head about you."

"Come now, I demand satisfaction, even if that means merely giving you a wallop!" Reep said, chasing after the boy, blade waving in the air as he ran nimbly after an unsteady Eustace. The boy quickly covered the deck, and ran into Caspian, Susan, Edmund, Serene and Lucy who were talking with Drinian and the Stars. "That blasted Mouse means to fight me!" He practically shouted.

"You don't have a proper blade, do you? Where could we obtain one that their owner would not be partial to if it's lost?" Edmund asked, not realizing who this was, just the fact that Eustace wasn't equipped for a duel.

Arran, realizing that this might be a way to be rid of the brat, spoke up, sounding more amiable than the situation called for. "You can use mine!" He said, pulling the sheathed blade from his side and holding it out. Reepicheep was still in hot pursuit, shouting from the foredeck as he ran, "We're on a boat you know, you can't just run away!"

"How 'bout this one?" Gavan said, tossing Arran a bulky shortsword, used for cutting and splicing ropes. Arran tested the blade with his finger, grinned, and tossed it to a startled Eustace, who, without putting much thought into it, caught the blade at the same moment Reepicheep arrived. Eustace stared down at the object in his hand, unbelieving that they were entirely serious about this.

"Aha! We _shall_ have ourselves a duel!" Reep cried energetically, running after Eustace, who was dodging out of the blade's path. Gavan and Arran laughed uproariously as the two figures ran about the deck, Reep trying to get in a swordsmanship lesson at the same time as a duel. The Mouse jumped up onto a barrel, finally standing face to face with Eustace once more.

"Look, can't we just discuss this?" Eustace nearly begged. But Reep was past taking any of his blustering. With a swipe, he cut a small rift in Eustace's shirt. "That was for stealing," he cut another while Eustace seemed too stunned to move, "That was for lying, and that," Reep jabbed his sword into the ripe orange and pulled it out, smacking Eustace across the face with it as he did so, "was for good measure!"

Eustace grit his teeth, shifting the blade in his hand, wanting to just bushwhack this rodent into next year.

"We do indeed have a duel!" Reepicheep shout, smiling ever so slightly. "Come on, take your best shot," The Mouse encouraged, mostly bent on teaching him a bit about swordplay than disciplining him now. Eustace lunged wildly, and Reep dodged easily. "Was that it? Come on now!"

Arran jumped up onto a barrel himself, to watch the fight, and laughed at the antics of the boy and his 'teacher', looking more like a pirate than ever. Several sailors stopped what they were doing to watch, knowing this wasn't going to be as great as the two king's fight, but just as interesting.

"Come on boy, that's it, come on," Reep shouted, as Eustace stared lunging at him left and right, but, slowly looking more confidant. "Come on; stop holding your arms like a drunken pelican. Pose! Lead with your foot. No, not your left your right!" Reep muttered, hitting the flat of his blade against Eustace's legs as he spoke.

"Aha! Come on, hit me!" The Mouse encouraged, jumping onto the rail. Eustace lunged hard. "Oh, oh no!" Reep cried, losing his balance and seeming to plummet over the side. Eustace, suddenly horrified to think that he had killed the mouse, annoying as he was, leaned over the edge to see if he could catch a glimpse of the mouse. But, what he could not see, the others could.

Reep had climbed up the rigging while Eustace had been looking in the water. Gently tapping on Eustace's shoulder, he caught the boy off-guard, and with that small ounce of uncertainty, Eustace was thrown off balance by the pitch of the boat, so Reep easily toppled him into several baskets on deck. Eustace gave a small shout of surprise, but it was the little girl's squeal that made everyone jump to their feet.

Crawling slowly out of the felled basket, a little girl with dark hair and a pink dress looked around, standing on shaky legs. "Oh Gael!" Rhince said in dismay, coming to pull her into his side. Drinian walked forward, looking somewhat stern and grave. Suddenly he smiled. "Well, it looks like we have an extra crew member," he said kindly, handing her the orange that Reep had tossed him. The little girl smiled hesitantly back at him as she took the orange.

Drinian knew that she would be another mouth to feed, but, she reminded him of his niece on Galma, so he couldn't find the heart to be sharp with her. Rhince smiled at his captain gratefully, but Drinian just nodded in understanding, giving him a friendly clap on the shoulder, before shouting for the men to resume their business.

"Lucy, go get the girl and bring her here, out of the way of the men." Susan whispered, smiling at her sister. Lucy nodded, having thought of the idea herself. She walked down the stairs and came up to the girl.

"Hello there, welcome aboard," she said softly, as Rhince moved away to return to his duties, nodding his head at the queen in respect as he went.

"Oh, Your Majesty." The little girl said in awe, staring up at her.

"Please, call me Lucy. Come on now." She encouraged with a smile, holding out her hand for the girl to take. After a few minutes of Gael silently debating it, she held out her own hand and placed it in Lucy's. She took the girl back up the steps, where Susan waited holding Rilian. When they arrived, Susan led the way to the cabin she and Lucy shared.

Meanwhile, Eustace picked up the shortsword he had dropped in his ungraceful fall. Walking back to where Gavan and Arran were standing, intending to return it, Reepicheep spoke up from his left.

"Good match, I'll make a swordsman of you yet."

Receiving praise from someone other than his parents made Eustace react almost kindly to the Mouse, before he returned to the sour attitude from earlier. "Yes, well, if the playing field were a little more even, it would've been an entirely different result."

Reep, delighted to see the change come over Eustace even for the brief second, just smiled and leaned back against the rigging. "Indeed," He murmured, shaking his head.

Though, now he knew the boy could be reached, but one had to treat him carefully, like someone he'd known several years ago. Someone he had never intended to meet again in a thousand lifetimes, but this voyage had brought him face to face with once more; Arran Greenwood. He did not think the pirate captain remembered him, but, there were times when he wondered. No, he dismissed the thought with a sharp shake of his head, the Star did not even think him familiar, he was long forgotten. The incident with Mezelzaz was far behind the captain. As it should be with him, too.

**~o0o~**

Lucy walked quickly up the stairs from below deck, having gone to ask Eustace if he was feeling all right, since he had disappeared after the sword match. She looked up and stopped moving just in time to avoid walking into Gavan, who was also not looking where he was going. Hearing her footsteps on the wood however, he stopped as well and stepped back several inches when he saw her. Frowning, looking away slightly and running his fingers through his hair, he tried to think of something to say.

"I'm sorry, I should have been paying attention to where I was going," Lucy said quickly, sounding nervous even to her own ears.

"No, no, it was my fault, I should've been thinking about what I was doing." He said hurriedly, nearly running over her apology. She looked at him expectantly, without knowing it; she was waiting for him to say something more.

"Well, I'll be going then," He said, helpless for anything to say that would fill the empty gap between sentences.

"Yes, I s-suppose I should too." She stuttered, her heart sinking for some reason she didn't understand. She walked quickly away, but did not know that he watched her go.

"Well, that was really just _priceless_ Gavan," Arran jumped down from the rigging, startling his brother. "She stands there, waiting for you to do something, to act on what she's not telling you, can't tell you, and you just mutter some gibberish about walking away!" Arran crossed his arms as he talked, exasperation coating his voice.

"You're one to talk," Gavan hissed, glaring at his brother. " '_You're smart, you'll think of something'_ '_Gavan maybe you weren't meant to be a Star, perhaps you were supposed to live on earth'_. That was just _marvelous_ advice, for one with so much experience!"

"I did not know you two felt this way about one another! I thoug-"

"You thought it was just her power that drew me, didn't you? As it drew you and Zephyr. How was I supposed to understand this, this _attraction_ to some mortal?" Gavan cut in sharply, clearly confused about what he was feeling for Lucy.

That _had_ been what Arran had thought, though he had never said anything. The idea that his brother might be drawn by something other than the girl's power had not even occurred to him. He suddenly felt very harsh and unfeeling. Durken would've guessed at this long ago. But he was slow on learning or noticing, and he always had been.

"I must ask your forgiveness Gavan, I never meant for this to become so complicated. I could try to help, but all I really can say is, do what you think is right, and, when it feels as if it goes against something you believe, stop. I don't have to tell you to respect her, for, I know you will. But, watch out for angry relatives. Caspian knows, and that is all I will tell you on that matter. Just, be careful and don't do anything I would do." Arran said slowly, realizing this was probably the most thoughtful speech he'd ever given.

"I'm sorry for losing control Arran,"

"Don't be, I'm no help, that was true, and this is confusing, I don't know how you can care for her, besides the magic. That's all that ever interested me." Arran admitted. Gavan smiled slightly, Arran had never put himself down so much before and he'd never acted so much like Durken either. Arran turned and walked away, leaving Gavan with his thoughts.

**~o0o~**

The day wore on, and everyone's anticipation for the evening grew. There was at least one good tale that would carry over from the night before, and perhaps more interesting songs to be sung. To an ordinary person, songs and tales might become boring after a time, but to sailors, these were lessons and entertainment both. They might not have been scholars or men of science, but anyone could tell a good story, all it took was an idea and the courage to speak it.

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**A/N: And that is chapter fourteen! I beg forgiveness from all my readers for not updating in so long! But, my new interest in lotr has kept me away, and I have been taking a repose from heavy writing for a while to enjoy life and a slower pace. Now, however, I am interested in continuing this tale and starting the next one! **

**Now, for explanations as to why this chapter may/may not be very detailed: **

**1\. I am having to work on studying both book and movie plotlines, so I was also doing that on my break time, to keep the good parts of the movie as well as the good parts of the book. **

**2\. I am coming out of a period of writer's block (which many of you know and helped me work my way out of) so I have written as best I could with what little I had. **

**3\. I DO NOT want anything lotr-y to get into the elements of this story and quintet plotline! I have been trying to be good about that, but it wasn't working, so I had to relax and throw myself back into a Narnian way of thinking (don't know if it worked, you tell me :).**

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**Author's Secret: I became interested in lotr because of the plot for the following book in this series, where Tolkien's books are mentioned. I figured I had better get some dirt on the book series, so I didn't look _totally_ stupid, and what better way to do that than watch the films and read the tr- no, wait, Tolkien didn't want the series to be called a trilogy (what do I call it then?! Oh dear!).**

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**I didn't like the way Lucy introduces herself to Gael on the ship in the film, well, I should say, I didn't really like the acting, there was something about the style that was too energetic and bouncy, considering she's talking to a little girl who doesn't even know her and is still probably terrified. **

**Well, I don't know what else needs to be explained, except that yes, Arran and Reep _have_ crossed paths, and yes, you _shall_ discover what Mezelzaz was. I have tried my best, so tell me your opinions!**

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**ILoveFanfiction: **

**I saw your review to 7s7l, thanks, I'll work on fixing it, and cool that you like lotr! I learn something new every day! I hope you like this chapter too, ~ W.H. **

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**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...} Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note. **

**Happy reading, ~ W.H**


	15. There's A Place For Us

**Chapter Fifteen: There's A Place For Us**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ England ~**

The blonde young man walked up the hill, coat over one arm and two suitcases in the other. Looking around, he stopped, smiling slightly, before lowering his burden and looking - truly looking - around him. He had never realized when he had been younger just how beautiful it had been out here. It was so quiet; it reminded him of Narnia in a way. Soon though, he resumed his solitary walk up the hill, arriving at the top in an area shaded by tall, ancient oak and poplar trees. The grass that spread away beneath his feet to the large Tudor styled house was overgrown and grew wildly along the gravel path leading to the front door.

For a long while, Peter stared at it, remembering playing with his siblings on the lawn, and the game of cricket that ended in an adventure to Narnia. Thinking about their story now, he shook his head with a bemused smile. If anyone heard that story they would surely think him insane, going on about knights, kings, queens and a talking lion. But he wasn't, and as long as he knew it, that was enough. He followed the path that led away from the house, and slightly down the hill, near the lake.

Under three old willow trees was a faded white cottage. The pale blue front door was open and an old man with a shock of white hair sat on the stoop, smoking a pipe.

"Well, Peter Pevensie!" The man cried gaily, setting his pipe on a small table nearby as he stood and walked down the two steps leading to the sandstone path, leaning slightly on a wooden cane. Peter dropped all his things and gave the old man a warm hug.

"I remember when you were barely up to my shoulder, and loved to take my Persian cutlasses off the wall and battle Edmund on the lawn! Has it truly been five years?" Kirke asked, standing back and surveying Peter with a cursory glance.

"Yes, I'm afraid it has Digory," Peter said softly, as he remembered those days too.

"Well, never you mind, we'll talk and go over olden days together, I don't get as many visitors as I'd like. Of course Jack and Warie have come down a time or two, but they're mighty busy these days, and don't have the time to indulge in an old man's fancies." Digory took Peter's coat and walked beside him back up the path as he spoke.

"How's Polly?" Peter asked suddenly, after a pause in the conversation.

"Oh, you know Polly; she handles it like a Plummer. I still can't believe Freddie's gone, just gone like that; I never thought he'd be the first to go. And now, what with the children moving away, and Franny and Jim sailing for America, she's feeling rather lonely. I told her she could come out here for a stay, and we would reminisce. She wants to meet you three again though. I told her we should all have dinner once more at her place in Lichfield sometime this fall, and make it a yearly occasion. She said she'd think about it, and most likely send out invitations to all of you in a few months," the retired professor replied.

"Digory, I must confess something, before things go too far. I did not come out here just to study with you; I did more than enough at my cousin's house. I came out here to talk, to talk about never going back, and to find life again. I'm trying to stumble out of the dark and I need your help." Peter said quietly, as Digory showed him his room.

"And what is so wrong with that? Peter, I'm not like most friends, I understand you, I know that you were a king, and I too know what it feels like to be lost. When you wrote me, telling of the changes in your life, I knew you were coming out here on more than a social call, more than as a student." Digory admitted.

"Thank you Digory," Peter said, smiling slightly.

"Come on, I'm sure you're hungry, it's long past lunch." The old man left the room to the kitchen, Peter joining him not long after.

**~|x\/x|~**

"Here's a glass of lemonade, not much like Polly's but it'll do." Digory said, handing Peter a tall glass filled with the yellow liquid, before easing himself into a nearby chair with a sigh. Both men looked out across the lake, watching the wind dance over the surface of the water, willow branches rippling in the shallows. They had moved from the kitchen after lunch to the back porch, almost like a stone terrace that didn't fit with the small cottage, yet it did, in an odd way.

"Whenever I stare at those willows, I expect Aaralyn or Ilse to come running up," Peter declared absently, motioning to the cluster of trees not far down the shore.

"I used to stare at Louise's mare, Gertie, and will her to speak, much like you with those willows. Remember Gertie? I miss that old mare. She was the closest thing to a Talking Horse in this world I'd ever come to."

"You mean Mrs. Macready's mare?" Peter asked hesitantly, never having heard the housekeeper's first name before.

"Yes, sorry, I forgot you wouldn't know," Digory replied, sipping his lemonade slowly. Peter nodded. "I assume you saw the house," Digory remarked casually.

"Yes, it looks haunting, and more deserted than I had believed. I thought you were exaggerating in your letter, now I know you weren't." Peter replied.

"I know. Pity it's just too hard to keep up since the war and all. I had to let everyone go, especially after Louise simply could not tend to the housework anymore. Even though she fought me on leaving, I knew she was relieved to go and live with her grandson in Surrey... It's still there you know, I never got rid of it." Digory commented after a pause, glancing across to see Peter's reaction.

"What's still there?" Peter asked, confused.

"You know, the wardrobe, and the coats. I never sold it, never sold most of the furniture in fact, just the extra things I really didn't need." Digory elaborated. Peter jerked forward sharply, spilling lemonade on the patio as he leaned closer to get a good look at his companion's face.

"Truly? I don't think I can see it. I don't know if I could bear it," Peter whispered after the professor nodded, a dark expression coming over the young man's features as he set the glass near his feet and stood, shoving his hands in his pockets and staring intently at the water.

"Perhaps another time Peter, I did not mean you must go now, or tomorrow, just, perhaps. If you ever want to, you know that you can." Digory did his best to calm the troubled young man down, but he could tell that his efforts were wasted.

"I have dreamt countless nights of that wardrobe, I have shouted for peace until I hadn't the energy to stand. I have begged and pleaded for one more hour with her, one more day, just so I could tell her I did not abandon her and if I could have done it again, I would not have followed Lucy. I am plagued by her, and she does not leave me, I will never be free of her I feel sometimes. Yes Digory, I long to be free from her, to forget her." Peter said, pain filling his voice.

"You mean Amalia?" Digory inquired, unsure if Peter was talking of Narnia or his wife.

"Who else?" He replied bitterly. "There are times when I feel like Aslan is easing my pain, and then there are times when I feel so burdened and haunted that I want to end everything!" He continued, causing Digory to come to his feet quickly and walk over to him with concern.

"Peter, I _do not_ want to hear you say such things. Aslan will help, the question I have for you is, are you truly letting it go, truly giving it to him? Because if you are, you do not act like it." Digory declared. Peter looked at him, his blonde hair falling over his forehead.

"Come on, I think we should talk," Digory picked up the glasses and led the way back into the house a reluctant Peter trailing him.

**~|x\/x|~**

Peter and Digory sat in the parlor, bibles in hand. Digory had just finished explaining and walking Peter through several things, showing him what it meant to give everything to God, or, in Peter's case, Aslan. He knew Peter had been shown all these things, told all these things, but from his experience, he knew that it took more than a few times to learn. It took constant reminders, and telling the person over and over before they finally understood. He knew that Peter finally understood.

"I think it's time we were getting to bed, mornings come early around here." Digory spoke finally, placing his bible on a side table and standing. Peter nodded mutely, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Come on son," Digory said, patting him comfortingly on the shoulder before going to his room.

Over the next few days, Peter and Digory talked, discussed and occasionally reminisced over Narnia. He made sure the young man spent his mornings seeking God first, and then in the evenings they talked, many times long into the night over biblical things and scriptures. Digory also gave Peter advice on his coming exams. The days passed easily and comfortably for the two.

They walked the paths surrounding the manor and cottage, but Peter still refused to see the wardrobe. One morning, not long after they'd entered the kitchen and sat down to breakfast, Digory reached into his waistcoat pocket and pulled out a golden key, which he slid gently across the table and left next to Peter's plate. The young man stared down at the object, and then looked at the old man in curiosity.

"What's that for?" He questioned, touching the key with light fingers.

"The manor. Peter, you've been here for quite awhile, I think it's time you buried the dead and set the ghosts to rest for the last time. Go look at it. I think you need to finish this. I miss that boy I used to know who was not so troubled. Keep your memories, don't bother telling me, but do not continue to have this attitude about life." Digory said, turning Peter's hand palm up, placing the key in it and closing the young man's fingers over the object.

Peter stared down at his closed hand, and then looked up at Digory. He stood quickly, grabbed his coat from the rack and dashed out the door. Digory stood and slowly walked to the doorway, Peter having forgotten to close it on his way out. He smiled as he watched the boy run up the hill through the tall grass. He took a sip of his coffee, shook his head, and turned back to the kitchen, closing the door behind him.

**~|x\/x|~**

Everything he'd said, everything he'd sworn he wouldn't do, flew out the window when Digory placed that key in his palm. Unable to control his anxiety and excitement, he ran from the house, through the grass and over the hill, the blue sky of late spring reminding him of Narnia. Arriving at the manor, he suddenly stopped, heart pounding from his mad dash up the hill, and his fear of what he'd find.

The house loomed out of the trees and overgrowth, chimneys rising higher than some of the pines. He held his hand out, staring down at the key as he tried to catch his breath. Slowly, ever so slowly, he walked through the weeds to the house. He hesitated as he walked up the steps and just before he turned the key in its lock, _'to do this or not?'_ _'Yes'_ he finally decided, he must, he needed to.

The door still opened silently, he mused, even after all these years. When he turned around from closing the door, memories filled him, of a summer he would never forget, because in that summer, he had lived a lifetime.

After that, he'd lived a thousand years and come back.

For the last time

Peter lightly brushed his hand over the bannister as he walked up the stairs. He turned down hallways and up a few flights of stairs, before arriving at The Door. He just stood and stared at the latch for several seconds, palms sweating, before he plucked up the courage to reach out, pull it down and push in, allowing it to fall open.

"I still cannot believe you kept it after all these years," Peter whispered to himself. He quietly allowed the memories to sweep him away to another time, a better one, a peaceful one, but also one riddled with danger as he stared at a dark colored wardrobe standing at the far end of the room.

_"You've got to be kidding!" _

_"Come on!"_

_"Stop shoving!"_

_"I'm not on your toes!"_

_"I suppose, saying "I'm sorry" won't really help?"_

_"No, but that might!"_

_"But that's a girl's coat!"_

_"I know."_

_"They come, in numbers and weapons far greater than our own!"_

_"Numbers do not win a battle."_

_"No, but I bet they help."_

_"To the Radiant Southern Sun, I give you Queen Susan, the Gentle."_

_"To the Great Western Wood, I give you King Edmund, the Just."_

_"To the Glistening Eastern Sea, I give you Queen Lucy, the Valiant."_

_"And to the Clear Northern Sky, I give you High King Peter, the Magnificent!"_

_"Do you know for certain when you shall be returning?" _

_"No Amalia, but until I do, remember how much I love you."_

_"Wait! Before you go, I-I, I want you to have this, to remember me, until your return, My King." _

_"Come on Peter, just one drop, you know you can't do this alone."_

_"It's not what I thought it would be, but it's all right, one day you'll see too, come on."_

**~|x\/x|~**

Peter thought about what he'd told Lucy the last time he'd ever been in Narnia. He had lied, it was far from all right, but he was trying to cope. He stepped over to the wardrobe and touched the handle, the carvings, everything. _"To love is to never forget, but for a time it will bring pain,"_ He whispered Aslan's words to himself in the empty room.

"I'm not sure I understand Aslan, but I'm trying." He whispered, falling to his knees in front of the open wardrobe, his head in his hands.

"Forgive me Son of Adam; I know that I caused you pain, but many have to taste that bitter thing to know true love and true sacrifice." Peter turned sharply as he heard Aslan speak. The golden lion stood behind him. For the first time in a long while, Peter looked his old self again.

"Oh Aslan, what have I done?" He whispered, standing unsteadily and walking over to the lion, burying his hands and face in the lion's tawny, golden mane.

"It is not something you have done; it was a choice you made. You are your siblings' leader, and you chose leadership and guidance over selfish desires. You made the choice to stay and protect your siblings when they walked past the lamppost. You did what was right, though it cost you a great pain."

"Aslan, is there nothing, no relief you might give me? Am I to go forever with this guilt and anguish?" Peter cried, looking into Aslan's majestic face.

"Peter, you have been told how to find peace. I have shown you the way, I have gone before you, now you must trust in me, and truly give me your burden to carry, you cannot carry it alone." The lion growled, causing Peter to start, as those words were hauntingly familiar to the ones Jadis had spoken to him in the How.

"Yes Aslan, I have been told, but I cannot seem to do it." Peter answered desperately.

"Have I not given you hope? Have I not promised to come to you in this world?" The lion roared. "Oh Son of Adam, for such a great king, your little faith surprises me. I am the Beginning and the End, I am peace, I am justice I am all these things and more, if only you would learn how to turn to me in the darkness, I would give you my light. Find me, Peter, and you will find forgiveness. You have committed no great sin, you should not be afraid of me." Aslan said knowingly.

"Truly you know my heart," Peter whispered. Aslan smiled in a way only the lion could.

"Give me your burden Peter, I ask it," Aslan purred, his voice barely discernable and yet seeming to fill the room.

Peter ran his fingers through his hair, head bowed, as he spoke in a hushed tone. "I left, I abandoned her, and I turned my back on my people, my subjects and my country. I allowed my anguish to cloud my judgment when I returned. I was foolish, I was stupid, and I ask forgiveness Aslan, I ask release. I cannot bear this alone, I need you, _I_ _need_ _you_." As the realization dawned, he finally felt able to look up and meet the lion's penetrative stare once more.

"Do not forget to share your burden with the One who can bear it. I am always here, I will always listen, but it must be you who calls to me." Aslan said, roaring fiercely, before melting into the sunlight filtering through the windows.

With his realization came a sudden freedom Peter had not expected. He knew the pain would never go, but now he finally felt free, he was truly better, not like all those halfhearted attempts at returning to his old self he'd tried to do in school. Now, with the knowledge that he must rely on Aslan solely, he knew he would recover. He must work hard though, and seek after Aslan fiercely; He was not a tame lion after all.

As Peter thought those words, suddenly he smiled. _Not a tame lion._ Now he understood them. Aslan was not a tame thing, giving you a tame religion. He would not get you out of difficulty and expect nothing in return. He wanted love, He wanted faith, and He wanted hope. He demanded it; He demanded the actions that came with being a true follower. You could not walk half the time with Him and half the time in your own world. Peter knew that now, and he finally felt ready.

**~|x\/x|~**

It was some time later when Digory noticed Peter walking slowly back down the hill. Though this time, he looked different than the day he'd first arrived here. That time, his shoulders had been hunched and his head had been bent slightly, now, he seemed free of whatever he had been carrying, he no longer looked confused, yet, he seemed a little shocked.

"Digory, I've seen Aslan, he was there, in the room, and he told me something I won't forget." Peter murmured, awe filling his voice. Digory merely smiled, like the day when he'd entered the spare room and asked them what they had been doing in the wardrobe.

"Come inside, tell me everything over dinner," The professor said, walking side by side with the blonde young man back up the walk, his pipe in his hand. There was a place for all Aslan believers and Narnians in this world - they just had to find it - Peter finally found it.

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**A/N: Chapter fifteen! You know this story now has just as many chapters as Star~Crossed? (chapter 16 doesn't count because it's an A/N) and there are still so many more left! I know I interrupted the carryover from chapter fourteen, but I wanted Peter's chapter to be put in not much later than this, or else it wouldn't fit as well.**

**Consider this a bonus for me not having updated in like, 20 days. I will resume updating after this on Fridays and Saturdays, which means perhaps another chapter on Friday/Saturday, perhaps not, it really depends on how well I am inspired over the next three (2?) days. **

**Now on to explanations: **

**Jadis tells Peter in Prince Caspian: "Come on, just one drop [of blood], you know you can't do this alone." Which is rather a rough imitation of Aslan (rather like Satan, who tries to resemble God in a way). **

**I know I kind of keep going over Peter's depression, one moment I make him seem like he's getting better and the next moment he's not. But the truth of the matter is, depression is really like that. One moment you feel as if you're actually getting better, and you think you're over the worst, but the next you're back where you started. **

**Change is hard for Peter, he's never been good at it, never really done it, truth be told. So, for him, a king who keeps most of his questions to himself and faces most (if not all) of his life problems alone, relying on Aslan is rather hard to do. Aslan is willing to carry the burden however, as God is. Aslan wants to help him, because he knows Peter can not carry on under his own power. (As he has been)**

**_Finally_**** Peter has grasped the idea everyone has been telling him. _Finally_ he sees the path Aslan has pointed him at, now he's got to climb it. It will be rough, but he's _finally_ able to do it. He's whole once more. Aslan has forgiven him his stubbornness (which was what his depression really was) so now he's recovering. **

**A human can love and lose, and learn to love again. Just because they've lost someone doesn't mean they have to lose their life too. I have resolved Peter finally, I shan't go into him again. You can muse over him, and comment when he has small cameos, but other than that, I am finished. His story is done, he must live what he has promised, and that is something which is a story unto itself, as Jack would say.**

****I cannot remember why I called this chapter 'There's A Place For Us', sorry. I'll remember later and post it in my next A/N when I do. **

****Freddie was Polly Plummer's husband, and Franny is her daughter, Jim is her son-in-law. (Together Freddie and Polly had seven children, an AU of mine which I can go into if asked)**

****Yes, Digory does mention C.S. and Warren Lewis in passing there at the beginning. **

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**ILoveFanfiction:**

**I read your reviews and mended those errors! I'll be going back over this quintet after I finish with a fine-toothed comb to weed out the remaining mistakes. I'm really glad you like BTB I didn't really like writing it at first, but it's growing on me, much like lotr. **

**Thanks for the compliment in your review, but I am not amazing (I loved that though, and I can't get over how sweet that was!), I just believe that if your going to write a fanfic for a book(s) by someone as great as Lewis, you should give it your best, that's what I've done, I've made sure to spend time giving this my all.**

**I had a much better personal A/N than this, but my silly computer was acting up and deleted this entire chapter and the A/Ns (don't ask me how!) so this one is not as good. By the way, I was meaning for Reep to come out as the pirate, since we already know for sure Arran is one, and Reep did give a bit of history after that, but I think I messed up terribly. ~ W.H.**

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**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...} Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note. (though I tried to get most, emphasis on tried)**

**Happy reading, ~ W.H**


	16. Uncharted Places

**Chapter Sixteen: Uncharted Places**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Everyone once again congregated on the foredeck to listen to the continuation of yesterday's stories. Arran stood next to Drinian at the helm, listening, yet they were clearly both having a conversation that was more animated and directed toward sailing and the ocean. If one had been curious, they would have found Arran talking with Drinian of the captain's ancestors, many of them seafaring men. Arran was discussing the overhaul of Captain Neverall's ship in the year 2218, and Drinian spoke up about the man being in his family ancestry, so they were arguing – like gentlemen – over Arran's capture of the merchant vessel and his quick disposal of Captain and crew onto the Island of Delmal.

"I merely did what any decent pirate –"

"There are no such things!"

"Well, Master Drinian, I beg to differ, in my day, there were many!" Arran tossed back snidely, grinning in a manner that was infuriating, for, his day – Arran's – was truly a time Drinian could not rival against, for he knew nothing about it.

"We are a fine example to crew and country of men above the law and men below," Drinian commented, after pausing to think of a reply.

"I should think so, though, I am not so twisted as you might think," Arran answered, looking thoughtful.

"I know, it's just, well, all my life I was taught that pirates are cruel men, who care for nothing, and no one truly cares for them. You turn all those things on their ear," Drinian said.

"Hmm, while that is rather true, you think too much of me, Drinian," Arran murmured, gazing down at the dancers and musicians about the foredeck.

"What are they going on about now?" Drinian asked, nodding to the seemingly raptured audience, it appeared that Rhince was beginning the telling his tale.

"Perhaps we should listen, time enough tomorrow night for conversations about seafaring men and our great differences," Arran declared, turning his attention on the story.

"Indeed," Drinian concurred.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Rhince, meanwhile, had gathered an eager audience about him, the crew and the monarchs (and friends, such as Eustace) all having waited the day to hear this tale finished. Though, some had attention more on one another than the story. But, let's hear that tale first before we talk of others.

Susan once again held Rilian, though, this time she leaned partly against Caspian, her head on his shoulder, while he leaned against the rail. Edmund and Serene sat around on the burlap or the cartons, Serene smiling as if thinking of something memorable. Gael sat at her father's feet, looking up at him with an expression only a child, and a daughter, can use. Lucy too, sat cross-legged on the deck, smiling happily. She had always loved a good Narnian tale.

"Now, where were we? Oh yes; 'Our sailor had been talking to the sea maid, and she was telling him how he might free himself and his men from death in these dark waters... Oh, many things, she answered. While they conversed, his men became wary, thinking he was becoming bewitched by the creature of the sea. Tell me one, he demanded. If they wished to live and tell this tale, they must steal the Sapphire of Edantura, she replied. Tis an easy task, he mocked. Nay, not so easy as you might think, for this gem is kept somewhere in the heart of Divandandia, she answered. That was the name of the Fae island they had discovered.

"He asked where this fabled gem might be found, and she told him she could tell him naught. He was angered, and said that she had led him into believing in such a fanciful hope that they might escape imminent death, but she laughed mournfully. You are a sad man what thinks in like manner, she replied, shaking her head. Have you never thought that I, too, wish to be free? What holds you back, you have the length and depth of the ocean to roam, and you are not bound except by the land.

"I am prisoner to this island, as long as the Sapphire remains lost, so shall all the creatures of this place be bound to it, she said. What must I do? Our adventurer asked after a pause. You must go into Divandandia, that I can tell you, and you must search for the man who bears a length of golden chain, then a woman who is not all she seems, and finally, you must find the green gemmed blade, and return it to the halls of those who go before. Then, you shall perhaps, find the Sapphire. But there is a great evil that has taken hold of this stone, and I know not if it shall be parted easily with it, the mermaid finished, disappearing under the water.

"Our man leaned out over the side, hoping that she would return to give him more knowledge concerning this great evil she spoke of, but she returned to the surface no more. He looked to his men, and shouted orders that they were to turn back, and go to land, for a quest was theirs to finish. Some of them men muttered amongst themselves that their captain had become possessed by the spirits of the dead the hovered in the waters, while many went about their tasks without complaint.

"They returned to the shores where they had walked, and our lad took seven of his most trusted with him, into the heart of Divandandia. The others he told to stay with the ship and to never leave it, unless something greater happened to cause such an idea. They walked –"

"Have you made this up? Or have you heard tell of it from another?" Zephyr interrupted suddenly, while Gavan nodded in agreement next to him.

Rhince looked slightly confused for a moment, before replying; "No, I did not make it up, an old sailor told it to my ancestors, nearly two thousand years ago, what makes you so interested?" Rhince asked.

"King Edmund wears the sword you mentioned, that green gemmed blade," Arran suddenly spoke up, jumping down from where he had stood next to Drinian.

"King Edmund, your blade, show them," Reepicheep said, leaning off the rigging, looking eagerly toward the dark haired king. Edmund stood, and, as requested, unsheathed the blade, its green gems glinting in the firelight; as all eyes focused on the blade, Arran spoke once more.

"Along his journey through Divandandia, or, as our people call it, Dedathazura, in the Star tongue meaning, 'Dark Island' he woke a young dragon, named Mezelzaz, the last of the black dragons from the Western Wild. This adventurer, as you call him, found the blade, and returned it to the shores of the reach between worlds, where Aslan sent it to rest in the tomb of the Guardians," Arran looked to Rhince as he spoke.

"How did you know?" The sailor asked, looking surprised.

"Because that story was very much real, and that dragon was once very much alive. The captain, your adventurer, his name was Xander, and the sailor who told your ancestor was one of his crew. The Island still roves the mists of the sea, and can be found. My people know the story well, for it was us who watched it take shape and form, and we who keep it alive in the hearts of men," Arran finished, turning slightly to look at those gathered around.

"What are you saying exactly, Arran?" Caspian suddenly asked.

"That these are uncharted waters, and we don't know what we'll find."

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Well, it seems my story has greater meaning than I had first believed," Rhince eventually spoke, smiling slightly. Others slowly picked up on the words and added their comments.

"I know much of old Narnia, but not this," Serene murmured, looking thoughtful.

"I'm glad we had a Star on board who knows something of it," a sailor remarked.

"How can we trust them? He's known to lie and they only ever show up once in a while, like now. Perhaps they mean to lead us on some foul quest!" Another sailor argued angrily.

"I could have your head for that! We are not magicians, wizards or enchantresses, but we can tell you of some things you would be wise to heed," Arran hissed, whirling on the man, "Some – not I – can foretell the future, while others, can influence the past. I am only telling you what I have heard from my people, and my people are great, for we are the unlimited heavens," Arran whispered sharply, walking off.

"I must ask forgiveness Rhince, it seems I have turned your story on its ear," Zephyr apologized ruefully, watching his older brother walk away.

"No, no of course not, I forget you are Stars, and know more than many of the wisest men on Lumea. I was tiring of the storytelling anyway, I'm not one for such tricks, and I really don't much like telling them. I only did it because you all seemed to enjoy the old stories so, otherwise, I would not have spoken," Rhince admitted, shrugging slightly.

"You tell a story well though," Zephyr remarked with a frown.

"But not as well as some," Rhince pointed out.

"You sound like my brother. Gavan hates telling any stories, yet he is by far the best at telling them than any of his siblings," Zephyr laughed slightly.

"Should we have him forced to tell one?" Rhince suddenly suggested, smiling.

"Let's round up some volunteers to get started," Zephyr answered, grinning widely before walking off.

Rhince sighed in relief as he watched the Star go. Better Gavan telling a story than him, he didn't relish being the center of attention that a story required. He walked off to see if he could persuade any of his fellow shipmates to beg Gavan for a tale.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"But I don't know anything worth telling!" Gavan complained, trying to get out of the hole they'd dug for him.

"You know you do, you've spent more time reading and studying than any of us, and besides, you would spend more time with the Elders than we ever did," Zephyr contradicted.

"I will not stand in front of an audience and tell a single tale," Gavan balked, crossing his arms.

"Well, then, pretend you're talking to Arran and me," Zephyr said.

"I'm not listening to you," Gavan turned away from his brother.

"Fine, Queen Lucy's sitting in the front, pretend you're talking to her then," Zephyr coaxed, knowing that was something he could use in his favor.

"As if the Queen of Old means anything," Gavan scoffed, though he didn't look at his brother.

"Tell the story of Neanacunatilano, then. That means more to you, Arran, and Durken then the other stories," Zephyr suggested, stepping back from his brother, motioning for him to go back and join the group.

"What makes you think I'll be any good at telling how Stars came to be called by name?" Gavan asked, finally looking up once more.

"Because that love means more to you now than before," Zephyr answered, looking to where Lucy was dancing with her brother, Gavan's eyes followed his brother's gaze, and he smiled slightly.

"Fine, but only because you are the seventh person to ask for a story from me," Gavan muttered, striding back across the deck as Rhince suggested another story to be told so the dancers and musicians might have a rest. Zephyr smiled, Rhince's friends must have been good beggars to convince Gavan to do this.

"I cannot wait," Zephyr whispered, walking after him.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

As the dancing ended, sailors laughingly called for a story, several glancing in Gavan's direction. Few others like Serene and Lucy, laughed along with them, but questioningly asked what was so amusing. The sailors, including Zephyr and Rhince, refused to tell them. The noise stopped when Gavan was pushed forward by a sailor to take center stage, or, in this case, deck.

"I am only going through with this because I have no choice, so I will tell this single story and no others," Gavan said to the quiet audience. He looked up for a moment, running his fingers through his hair, the only sign of his nervousness, before he began.

"There is a tale about Stars, how it came to be that we all have names, that is told among out people. Once, at the beginning of time, there was a girl, a girl who stayed up one night to see what happened after the sun set. The first time she saw the stars, she fell in love with them, beings seeming so far away and yet so close. She would dream about stars and paint stars, talk about them and envision all manner of things about them. She would sleep all day so at night she could stay awake and watch them follow their paths through the night sky.

"One night several years later, a Star became curious about this young woman who watched them, how she left the human company of the daylight to spend the night watching stars alone. He observed her from his place in the sky, and marveled at her faith and love to beings that never returned it, save for the fact that they came into the sky each night for her delight. Time went on, and he began to fall in love with her, though they'd never spoken, never met. He wanted to talk with her, wanted to know just what it was about his people she loved so.

"And he did, he left the sky and went to find her. On land it was far different from the heavens he knew so well, where he could see over mountains, down valleys and across plains and deserts. But there was something that told him to go on, though the task was hard and the path daunting. Eventually he found her, at night, on a hill not far from her village, stargazing.

"At first he did not tell her who he was, though she asked all manner of searching questions. Once he had managed to deflect most of them, he asked why she was out there, looking toward the heavens. She replied that it was because of the quiet, fiery beauty, as if the pinpricks of light were thousands of diamonds on dark velvet, or the night sky, like a heavy curtain trying to hind the sun's morning light, could barely conceal the radiance coming from Aslan's Country, and the star shine were the bits of light that broke through.

"He loved the way she spoke of his people, the way she talked of them as if they were friends she knew dearly and held in high regard. He returned to the sky loving her more so than before he had come. He came back often, staying longer and longer each time. She would ask his name, and he always replied;

_"__A name I have not." _

"She too, fell in love, and he returned it, knowing that he would die for her if he had to. One night, when they were watching the stars together, she asked him what took him away from her for so long.

"He felt, that since he knew her love was true, he must tell her, to be entirely honest. When he told her who, _what_ he was, she refused to believe at first, saying that he was mocking her love of the stars. He denied such claims, and proved it to her with his magic. When she realized he spoke the truth, she asked him why he did not just stay with her. He told her about the sky, and the call he felt when he was away for a great while. Time passed, and he stayed with her for as long as he dared before the yearning for the sky became too strong.

"She would jest, before he would leave each time, that one day she would name him, and he would stay with her and her with him forever. He only laughed at the impossibility of the idea, believing that nothing as simple as a name could keep him from the sky. Not many years later, a daughter was born to them. And now the woman begged him to go no more to the sky more than ever, for though she loved the stars, he leaving her was unbearable. They both knew what an impossibility that was, for he had tried to stay, and it had nearly killed him, but to continue leaving her, she would surely die.

"They wondered what to do. While he was away, she thought about it endlessly. Suddenly she knew what must be done and wondered why she hadn't thought it before. She thought over it while her daughter learned to crawl, and then walk, while she tended to her animals and her garden, and she thought long into the night, while she stared up at the stars from her window. Her mind wandered to stories that King Frank and Queen Helen would tell their subjects and their children. She knew, and she was very sure.

"When he returned, she didn't tell him, not knowing whether or not her plan would work, or if he would insist she not try. Once again, the time came for him to leave, and as always, she begged him not to go. He smiled sadly, kissed her and walked down the path from her door. She ran after him, crying for him not to go, but stopped in the middle of the path when he turned back to her. That was when she decided to speak the words that had been on her lips since she first came upon the idea.

_"'__David, do not leave me, I love you, as the Stars need the sky, so do I need you.'" _

"She had never before called him by any name; it startled him, realizing she had named him. He walked back to her, amazement in his gaze. She smiled though tears streamed down her cheeks, not knowing if it would work, but hoping against hope that it might.

_"'__If any man thinks he needs something more than pure, faithful love such as yours, he is the stupidest of fools. I do not need the sky as much as I need you_,' he spoke quietly, as if a realization had suddenly come clear. David never left again, he didn't need to, their love was far stronger, far better, than anything the night sky had to offer. Her love for him was far more constant, far brighter than the Stars. Perhaps it was well and good then, that her name was Constance.

"And so, that is the story my people tell of why Stars are bewitched and charmed by humans, and why we have names. In your Narnian version, which is by far the simpler of the two, it explains why there is the constellation of Constance, the girl with her head tilted up, as if she is looking towards something above her," Gavan finished.

Looking up, he found that he had enraptured his audience, and with some, such as Susan, having tears in their eyes. He resisted the urge to frown and say anything about the story not being good, because he knew there would most likely be those in the audience to refute the words, so he simply moved off, wishing Rhince had finished his story instead.

Wiverne led the group back into some songs and a few more short tales, while Gavan watched from a distance. He tilted his head slightly when Lucy sat down next to him, but did not offer any other sign of acknowledgement.

"That was a lovely story, I am sure you know more," Lucy said, her voice sounding light. Why, such as now, he wondered silently to himself, was it so difficult to ignore her draw?

"I am afraid my brothers speaks far too highly of me, all I know, I know from hearing others, stories they have all heard as well," Gavan replied.

"Your brothers told me nothing, I could just tell from the way you told it that you knew many of them, because of the way you told that one," Lucy protested.

"Why do you continue to talk to me? After all I have said, still, you persist. I must know, I find it curious," Gavan suddenly asked, changing the subject.

Lucy was taken aback, not understanding what he meant. She turned her head away, confused. Perhaps she did care for him, but, that aside, why should she not talk with him? Serene talked with him and his brothers, Susan and Caspian, Edmund and Drinian, why not her as well? "I don't know what you mean," She finally said, glancing back at him.

"I mean that, you seem to seek me out and talk, as now, when there are others who would hold conversation with you, and yet, you turn to me," Gavan elaborated.

"Perhaps it is because I wish to know you and your brothers better. Narnians, mortal and mythical I know, Stars, not so much," Lucy finally answered.

Gavan was now only listening with half a mind as she spoke; he was remembering what he'd told her on the Lone Islands, and what Arran had told him not long ago. _"__You think you care, Gavan? Then test it, give her what she wants, what she dreams at night and envisions during the day_._See if you can make it real." "Arran can do that for Azalea. Make this real, because he loves her." _He frowned, thinking it through, before he realized that she was talking.

"Lucy, come with me for a moment, to the rear deck," Gavan asked, standing and holding out a hand to assist her from her seat. She looked up at him, utterly confused now. Still though, she took his hand and followed him. He stopped in the middle of the deck.

"Wait one moment," He requested, stepping back. She nodded in answer, and watched him.

Her eyes widened as the scenery changed, as it had on the Islands, to a Narnian landscape. She looked around for Gavan, but this time, it seemed as if she was alone. She gasped when she felt a breeze against her face, and could smell the freshness of the air, unlike the last time he'd done this for her. Looking down, she realized she was wearing a Narnian dress as well. Smiling slightly, she brushed her fingers down the soft fabric, but quickly looked back up.

"Gavan?" She asked aloud, wondering what sort of trick this was, the magical performance was not nearly as fascinating as it had been when she was sure of his presence alongside her. She moved off a ways, walking towards several trees, looking for him.

"Gavan, I do not want to be here alone, where are you?"

"I'm here," His voice came from behind her, and she turned sharply. He had been watching quietly until she asked for him, wondering how she would respond.

Lucy was not one of those fairytale princesses, so she refrained from running to him, though she wanted to, and instead waited while he walked down to her.

"Why did you do this again, and, how? You told me you couldn't," Lucy asked, looking up at him in confusion. He stared back at her, his eyes holding a depth of emotion he would never be able to say.

"I did not think I cared, and I did not think I loved you, I am still uncertain, though this puts many doubts to rest. I told you, in Narrowhaven, that I could only make something real if I cared deeply for the person I was performing the feat for, and now I am afraid to think that I care in that way for you," Gavan said.

"Ar-are you saying, you love me?" Lucy asked hesitantly, surprise in her voice.

"I don't know, is this real, or not? Perhaps I am confusing fancy with love, but, Arran has told me many times that I cannot do this for just anyone," Gavan said, turning away from her and staring at the view. Feeling uncertain about this, yet believing it was right, she walked to him and lightly rested her hand on his arm. He looked down at her, smiling sadly.

"What a fine thing I've turned this out to be. If I cared half as much as I say I do, then I would not be leading you on, making you care. Lucy, no other mortal can replace the feeling I give you, and that is not something I say with pride," Gavan whispered, sliding his arm around her waist. "I can't tell you what does that, be it our magic, or our immortality, but humans somehow find themselves irresistibly drawn," he continued softly.

"But you are also drawn to me; as you said that night, remember?" Lucy asked, looking up at him with wide brown eyes.

"Yes, there is that, making this slightly in our favor," he mused. She smiled, then, giving something that he could not tell if it was a sigh, or an agreement, she rested her head on his chest, and watched the sun as it slid slowly below the distant mountains to the west of Narnia.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Come on, we must get back, to see if we are needed, or before anyone needs us," Gavan said, moving his hands to her shoulders and pulling her away from him.

"I so love this view of Narnia, it was always my favorite," Lucy murmured, turning to look around at the landscape in the dusk.

"It is beautiful; perhaps I may bring you back. Come on," He said, holding out his hand. She slid hers into his and watched as slowly the grass under her feet changed into the wooden boards of the ship, and the fresh mountain air was replaced with the salty tang of the ocean's. Surprisingly though, she still wore the dress. She looked up at him curiously.

"Why should you not keep it?" He asked, grinning.

"Thank you," Lucy whispered, once again brushing her hand down the skirt and the soft red and gold fabric.

"Of course; Lucy, you must know, this will only become more difficult, or easier, and I could not tell you which way yet," Gavan said, turning.

She watched him go, concerned because this seemed harder for him to accept than for her. Though, she also wasn't sure if she loved him or not, in fact, she really wasn't sure what she felt, and she knew he must be having the same experiences. Lucy bit her lower lip, she needed to talk with Susan, she would understand, though, the idea of including her sister in this complicated issue bothered her. She walked back to the cabin she shared with the queen, wondering how she could possibly tell her sister in a way that she would understand, and not become angry.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Ok, well, I'm not so sure how I like the ending of this chapter, I think it extends a bit farther than I was wanting, but, I'll leave that up to you, if you think it far too much, then I shall gladly rewrite (it won't take long to do so, merely an hour, or a day, whatevs). **

**On another note, Gavan has said some important things, ect. But I'll let you guys discover what he's told our Valiant Queen in previous chapters (sorry, my A/Ns only go so far into explanations). **

**I know it was rather odd the way I cut Rhince's story off, but, I was reading the finished draft of it, and I realized that it would give my entire plot away, so, we all voted, and Zephyr decided he'd be the one to interrupt the story. Arran, of course, decided to be the one with all the answers (he has a nasty little habit you see, that I can't help him out of). **

**I think you all can very well guess what the title of this chapter is pertaining to, so I'm not gonna say anything on the matter.**

**Yes, yes, yes, I promise I shall go into the black dragons of the west (not now though, they'll be explained in 'A Country Without A King', the prequel to this quintet, only in reference in this one, and, some others, so sorry). And yes, we shall hear more of this Mezelzaz, I promise that too. **

**The next chapter will hold something to whet your interests I'll wager. Adventures! So don't go away yet, this is finally picking up! I'm starting to think that this might be a lot longer than Star~Crossed now. **

**Before The Mast and 7s7l are going to explain just why Todd's green blade and Mezelzaz are so important to Arran and all. {If you haven't checked out those stories, then I suggest you do so, even though they are unfinished, they might help in the way of things} **

**{ILoveFanfiction, you once asked why I had Serene refer to Todd as "the first and last guardian", it will not be long now before you know that reason, even though I claimed Jaddai to also be the last guardian} **

**Last warning; Things are about to get interesting!**

* * *

**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...} Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note.**

**Happy reading, **

**W.H. 1492**


	17. Personal Thoughts

**Chapter Seventeen: Personal Thoughts**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Lucy walked down the stairs, trying to avoid being seen until she reached the cabin, knowing everyone would be curious in not only where she went, but why she was wearing the dress. She smiled thoughtfully, looking down at the gown. It took her a moment to remember how he knew she had missed the beautifully colored and patterned Narnian dresses. She still couldn't imagine how he'd known which specific part of Narnia she had wanted to go to, since there had been so many she loved.

But watching the sun set from Beruna had always been her favorite, because of the fact that Beruna was nearly in the middle of Narnia, and that that was where they'd won their first victory against evil, their first step to being Narnia's monarchs. It was all the more special because two battles to free Narnia had been fought there; theirs, and now Caspian's. It meant everything to stand there at least one more time. She jumped when a voice called out behind her.

"Lucy?" Susan whispered questioningly. She had wondered where her sister had gone, and had just started looking around when she noticed Lucy standing near the stairs, not as if she was hiding, merely as if she was being cautious.

"Where did you get that dress from?" Susan continued, noticing the skirt as it flared out slightly in the ocean breeze.

"It was a gift, from Gavan," Lucy replied quickly, looking down.

"From… Gavan, you say?" Susan smiled, but in the dim light from the ship's lanterns, Lucy could not see this. Susan had noted Gavan's interest in her sister not long after they joined the ship, and it had made her happy, knowing that Lucy wouldn't have to feel as if she was still living in her shadow. Susan had never known how to tell Lucy properly to forget the things people said about her not being as beautiful has her older sister. It wasn't true, and it wasn't fair, Susan was hoping that Lucy would think differently now.

"Yes… he also let me see Narnia…" Lucy said slowly, thinking carefully as she spoke each word, she didn't want to make a mess out of this, nor did she want Gavan to get into trouble on account of her.

"It looks wonderful, doesn't it?" Susan replied quickly, eagerness in her voice.

"Oh yes it does, I only wish I could visit there for a long while, but I suppose I've seen it enough, haven't I?" Lucy admitted.

"No, no one can see it enough. But, tell me more of Gavan, he somehow took you there you say? Though I believe that with Stars, there is little that is impossible, yet, I've never heard of this," Susan said.

"He can tell what a person wants, but only for a few people can he actually make them happen," Lucy answered, careful to omit how those "few people" had to be important to him.

"Interesting, well, I believe that you were heading to the cabin? Tired after all that dancing I gather?"

"Yes, I was hoping to get a little rest."

"I know, say no more, you really mean before Rilian and I come in and keep you from sleeping!" Susan laughed, holding up her hands in surrender.

"Partly…" Lucy grinned, moving toward the cabin.

"I shan't keep you then," Susan replied, walking back the way she had come, satisfied, at least for now.

Lucy sighed in relief, walking to the cabin door and opening and closing it quietly. It had been a long night.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The next morning was clear and bright, with a stiff wind from behind. Zephyr leaned against the rigging, staring out over the empty blue ocean. He wondered why he had come along on this voyage, if nothing more than to escape the doldrums of palace life or the sameness of being a Star. He wanted some purpose, something that made him feel as if he was accepted; Aslan knows they were still struggling with that as Stars. Reception of half-bloods was not easy, and they had to cope with coldness and hostility still.

Arran had a purpose; he had something he felt that was worth returning to Lumea every now and again. Gavan was not lacking from adventure, and if he would ever realize it, was very much in love with Queen Lucy. He felt, alone. He hoped this venture would clear some of his self-doubts away, and show him what he really had.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Reepicheep walked the railing carefully, leaning with the rising and falling of the ship. He was always interested in ocean voyages, and this one was no different. Now though, he was wondering if Arran had any recollection of the times before, when they had been in the positions of sailor and captain. The Star treated him indifferently, but Reep was beginning to wonder if that was a façade Arran held, to keep there from being questions of Reep's honesty, after all, he had never informed Caspian and Susan of his past and his dealings in piracy.

He watched Eustace stumble on deck, and smiled, shaking his head in small amusement. He was truly a puzzle, which the Mouse wanted to be the first to solve, because, something told him that Eustace was needed badly here in Narnia, Lumea needed another Friend from across the Worlds. Eustace seemed the perfect candidate; stubborn, willful, and dead set in his plans. He would be a perfect fit for the dangerous task of helping Narnia when Aslan called. Now, if only he could get the others to see this as well.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Adonijah couldn't remember why he had decided to come on this journey with the Narnians, all he knew was that one last wild adventure was something he wanted before he was too old. He thought about all those years as an abolitionist, when he had shouted and pleaded in the markets for the horrible trade of living beings to stop. He had asked what they would feel if they and their families were separated, torn apart and never saw one another again.

He remembered the disgusted glances, the times when he was summoned to appear before Gumpas and the court of the Islands, how they had told him to stop his speeches and 'lies' about slavery. He recalled to mind the day Lord Bern - Duke now - first arrived on the Islands, and how he too, had seen the cruelty of slavery, and not long after marrying, tried to put an end to it as well. That had been before his arrest, Adonijah recalled, right before the days he was locked far under the courts, so that his truths could not be heard by any who might listen.

He smiled, before walking stiffly down the deck, smiling at the sunrise, knowing that a new rule had come to Narnia.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Eustace muttered and frowned as he walked, stumbled more or less, out on deck. He winced at the brightness of the sunlight, muttering about ocean voyages and toy boats at sea. His mood had not improved at all, it seemed, and he was quite ready to be off this boat and on firm land again. The ocean was making him sick, or maybe it was his cousins who were doing that. He paused and stared out across the ocean, never-ending it seemed, stretching on forever.

"When will this ever end?" He muttered to himself.

He turned and looked up at "King Caspian" talking with the captain of this sorry excuse for a ship they were sailing. But, instead of him hating the man, and thinking up a thousand ways to have made him pay back in England, he wanted to be his friend, he almost wanted to get to understand his point of view, watching the king point to something on the chart Drinian held, and then motioning to the horizon, brown eyes alight with the idea of exploring the unknown. Fine, yes, he was annoying, his hair was too long and he smiled a little too much for Eustace's taste, but… there was something – something Eustace didn't know what – that made him want to set off on an adventure with him, because they could both explore what they did not know.

That hit Eustace full in the face, the fact that he and Caspian were virtually in the same boat – the irony – about Narnia. They both only knew now, while his cousins knew some sort of past and talked of "golden ages" and all these things that Caspian clearly hadn't experienced, at least Eustace guessed he hadn't from the way he eagerly listened to the stories. Eustace didn't know anything about those days either, he only knew that once, those islands they had left had been different, and his cousins and Caspian's wife remembered them as such. Eustace and Caspian didn't know that, they only knew this present, this now. Sure, yes, Caspian had been born here, and Eustace had only arrived, last month, but still, it was similar if you looked at it from a different perspective.

They were both discovering; one his country, the other his charge. And something about that pleased Eustace, though he didn't yet know just what he was discovering.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Edmund sighed, resting his head in his hands as he sat on the stairs of the _Dawn_ _Treader_. He did not know how this was going to end, he was not ready to let Serene go, he just could not fathom the idea of leaving her again. He knew he would have to, sooner or later. Raising his head slightly, he glanced down at the hilt of the sword he had been given by Bern. Taking a heavy breath, he brought one hand away from his face and rested it against the cool metal of the hilt, rubbing his thumb over a green stone.

_"__Welded from the same fires that crafted Rhindon,"_ He mused thoughtfully.

He studied the grain of the wood beneath his feet. His mind wandered to Peter, and he jerked, startled, realizing he had forgotten his older brother until this moment. He relaxed, wondering if his brother was doing all right, being so close to _It_ once more. One bowshot from the cottage was that big house, he thought, smiling fondly in remembrance.

_'__You are a __father__. You have a __son__'__, _played through his head again. For the first time in a while, he actually had a free moment to think about her words. He wondered, if he had had the opportunity, _could_ he have been a good father to his son, would he have been a good leader? He stopped himself there, it was no use going over what ifs, and he knew that well. He could not change his past, and he could not think over what ifs, they had not come to pass, because Aslan had not thought it should have been so. He had to settle for that.

This, he reasoned, was why he had not become angry, or argued the matter. He had free will, she should not have had to have said anything, he could have stayed, but he chose to go, and that was that. He believed her in it, when had she ever lied, or led him to believe as such? He smiled, tilting his head up to look at the sky. It would turn out right.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Caspian closed his eyes, bowing his head as he leaned against the oaken railing by the helm. He had not told Susan, but he wanted this to be his last adventure in Narnia. He had seen the worry in her eyes these past days, and he hated it, he wanted to reassure her that this voyage changed nothing, only that it would be the end of everything. He had been a Telmarine, only hearing of the Narnia of Old as fairytales from his professor. Then he had become king in a blur of bloodshed and loss, war and newfound freedom, which had happened all too fast for him to take in.

King not of one, but _two_ countries, one seeming new to him, but far more ancient than Telmar, a country he had to learn about overnight practically. Besides leading Narnia and Telmar into a new age, he now found himself as head of a relationship, after marrying Susan. She was independent and strong, but still, as the husband he had to lead, which was just as new as being king. Even more unexpected, he was a father who had to act as an example; he had three roles to fulfill; King, husband and father, all of which were far more important than the next adventure. Yes, he thought with a slow nod, scuffing the deck thoughtfully, as he looked up, this was the last adventure before meeting reality.

He smiled slowly as he thought about it. No, he mused after a moment's pause, this was _not_ the last adventure, but the ending of a certain _type_, the rest were yet to come.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Serene sat in the cabin, staring at the maps and charts lying across the table bolted to the floor. She traced a finger in no general path through the large blank spaces of the map, fearing what lay beyond. She knew, oh, how she knew that there would be trouble, Aslan had told her that there was darkness spreading over the ocean, and that it must be overcome by their group, or they would fall prey to it.

Divandandia was also out there, she thought, a frown coming to her face. The island was nothing but trouble; it was an ill wind that would blow the _Treader_ to that port. She hoped that this group of adventurers would not fall to ruin, and that they were strong enough from past adventures to overcome anything that might fall into their path. Her mind drifted to Edmund, there was something about him that worried her, something about all of the people on board that was beginning to worry her, and it had started when they heard of that strange green mist.

She knew that that mist was evil, strong, vile evil, like the magic that she had been born with gone to rot and decay, but this magic was far stronger than hers had ever been. She could only pray that Aslan would protect this family, for all Narnians, related or otherwise, are family.

**~|X:o0oX:|~**

Susan walked the darkened deck, nodding with a smile to the three sailors on watch, and Drinian at the helm. _'__That man,'_ she thought, shaking her head slightly, lightly biting her lower lip to hide her smile of amusement, _'__he never seems to sleep.'_ Which was true, Drinian only took six hours of sleep, three in the afternoon, and three at night, spaced out so that he would always be the one at the helm. She smiled thoughtfully over the subject, before taking the steps down into the hold. She wrapped her black shawl a little more securely about her shoulders so it would not catch on anything and awaken the men sleeping.

Some, like the fauns and the minotaurs, she stopped to do little things for, like a mother going into a child's bedroom after hours and picking up belongings; she straightened the blankets and personal effects so that they would not be damaged or lost by the morning, slowly going down the aisle. The fourteen year old cabin boy's sheets were on the floor, so she picked them up and placed them over the boy's sleeping figure. Eventually, she made it to where Eustace, Edmund, Reep, Serene and Caspian were sleeping.

She smiled at her sleeping cousin's still form. She lightly ruffled his tousled blonde hair, which was growing longer, and smiled at the freckles slowly spreading across his nose and cheekbones. She straightened his sheets, placing his shoes under his hammock. She glanced at Reep, a smile gracing his furry, bewhiskered face from some wonderful dream about Aslan, or battles of old that were victorious she didn't wonder. She looked over at Edmund and Serene, and smiled fondly at the sleeping couple. Edmund's arm was under her shoulders, his head bent towards hers. Serene had a content look to her.

Then she came to Caspian, she covered her mouth with her hand, eyes twinkling in amusement. She wondered if this was how he'd slept every night before they'd married; sheets kicked off entirely, hair mussed to the point she wondered how he managed to run a comb through it, lying on his back, one arm across his chest, the other at his side, which, she knew from experience, would be taking up space on her side of the bed, that, or around her shoulders. She picked up the sheet off the floor and draped it back across him before standing there thoughtfully, thinking how much time had changed him; he no longer looked like the unsure prince she'd met in the woods near Beruna, he truly looked like a king now, a man she would follow because he knew he could lead.

She smiled at the thought, before brushing back some of his unruly black hair from his forehead. She hoped that they would all find what they were each personally searching for on this voyage. For Caspian, peace of mind, knowing he was doing the right thing. For Edmund, to realize he wasn't still guilty for leaving Serene and Daniel, for Lucy, to truly learn and understand her own beauty and importance in life. And most of all for Eustace; that he would see life opened up differently than he thought it did. Also like a mother, Susan did not wish anything for herself, nor did she realize what she needed, she only wanted other's lives brought into a calm.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Arran held three strands of his hair, braiding it into a thicker braid, considering that it was growing longer, and needed to be redone. He glanced at the helm, where Drinian was standing, staring out across the ocean with keen grey eyes. He had found a friend, surprisingly, in the captain, but there was also something he found annoying about the man, he just did not know what it was yet. For twelve days they had been away from the Lone Islands, and he was beginning to wonder if there were any other islands out here, besides the fabled Divandandia, which he knew was really no fable at all. He thought about Azalea, and what he was going to do about his relationship with the Duke's daughter.

He knew that, if he asked it, Aslan would allow them to be together, meaning she would also age at the same rate as he did. But he did not know if she would be able to bear watching her family grow old and pass from this world and to the next as his mother had with hers. If he knew she could, he would give up the sea and pirating forever, but he did not think she could endure that step yet. He groaned in frustration, Aslan knew he was no patient man with things like this.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Drinian frowned as he stared out to sea, turning the helm slightly to the left to straighten out the ship. He did not like sailing 'off the edge of the map', as he put it. It meant trouble, trouble for him, and trouble for everyone else involved in this venture. King Caspian was no fool, and neither was his wife. But still, a captain had the right to worry over ship and crew, passenger and sailor alike. He could only hope that the end of the world would loom up before them in the fabled wave that touched the sky soon, so that he could return to Mary. He wondered if she would ever agree with his reasons to keep closer to Narnia's shores. He was a captain, but also a Lord; and that meant he had responsibilities, and those took time, time he did not have if he continued to sail.

Slightly frustrated, he banged the heel of his hand against the smooth wood of the helm, causing a sailor, Cruickshanks the dwarf, to look up from his work briefly. Giving the dwarf a stern glance, Drinian sent the Narnian back about his task. They'd reach journey's end soon enough, he told himself, he must simply be patient.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hey guys! Sorry I've rather dropped off the face of the earth for so long, but well, things have been rather busy around here. **

**(for all those who have not seen it; DO NOT _ev__er_ _watch_ Kingdom of Heaven! It is not worth it, well, maybe the 2nd disc, no, scratch that, do not watch it, but you can - if interested from this description - go look it up on Wikipedia, then you'll know why. It is worthless and useless, and that is what I spent a great deal of my time this past couple days (weeks?) doing. The only thing good about it is eye candy, (and the music, which is directed by Harry Greggson-Williams, same guy who did Narnia's music!) and even that needs work, so - just, please - don't watch it. EVER. Thank you).**

**I also decided to take a repose from writing for a few days, and not having to think about UDing really relaxed me. I know this isn't the adventure I promised, but the next chapter is sure to have it, this is just a look at each character's minds before we start going into temptations and all that dangerous stuff!**

**I loved the reviews for the last chapter, thanks guys so much! I'm glad RAM Film Studios that you felt like you could read these latest chapters! **

**I don't have much to say, except that, for all my readers who have been curious, and not just Bekah; when Gavan {Arran too} can grant a want {aka make it actually real} they automatically go there {i.e. when Gavan fulfills Lucy's want to watch a Narnian sunset from her favorite spot, they actually go there, as in, gone, off the ship, or wherever they happen to be standing at that point in time}). **

**Wants they can put in front of someone like a slideshow, but cannot transport the person they are preforming their magic on. Zephyr give and Pug give us perfect examples of what this looks like in chapter 7: 'The Power To Change'. **

**I don't really know what else to explain for this chapter, except that I think I wrote Caspian pretty well IC. I was quite proud of that, as I haven't been doing as good a job on that lately as I used to be. I might later in this story do another chapter like this, since I like watching the story unfold from each different POV.**

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction: I hope everything's OK with you, because I'm worried. No, I don't care about reviews, I just care about your wellbeing, and the fact that you've been quiet for so long. I hope you're well, and everything's all right by you, W.H.**

* * *

**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...} Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note.**

**Happy reading, **

**W.H. 1492**


	18. To The Breaking Point

**Chapter Eighteen: To The Breaking Point**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Twenty-three days from the morning they set out from Narrowhaven they had been sailing, without even a glimpse of land, or clouds on the horizon giving way to the fact that there was an island out there. Things were beginning to become tense, not only among the crew, but among the Pevensies and their family. It began to grow worse after a storm that washed a great deal of supplies overboard and broke two caskets of water. Eustace did not help matters, and Caspian's kindness only lasted for so long. He was a human, not a saint.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Whatever Date It Is:

_Wait until you hear this awful turn of events, diary. So, we had been sailing from the Lone Islands for about eighteen days, when a magnificent storm came upon us, though everyone stared at me as if I'd gone batty when I mentioned the very word, with a few, Caspian and Susan for starters, vehemently denying anything magnificent or terrible about the beastly hurricane, mentioning that it was only a "little rain" and "some wind". Edmund mentioned, I might add with drawn sword, (though he __**claimed**__ he was polishing it, I don't believe him) that the word 'magnificent' was not to be tossed around so freely, and that I should be careful to ever say it again. You'd think they were talking of a __**person**__ the way they go on! _

_But that isn't even the half of it; when we started off from the Islands we had seventeen casks of water. Three were washed overboard and two are leaking (That's Narnian efficiency __**I**__ say) so we are all rationed for our water. We hardly have any food and what we do have is simply beastly, horrible, horrible stuff! I don't think I can take much more of it. Herein is the problem; (rationing would be fine except for this) even on short rations of water we only have enough for about twelve days. (There's all this wine and rum, but even __**they**__ realize they couldn't drink that, why, it'd be as stupid as drinking seawater!) _

_I still think the most sensible thing would be to about-face back west and head to the Lone Islands. But it took us three days to get where we are, running like mad before this 'gale' as they call it. Drinian and Arran say that even __**if**__ (a very large 'if' apparently) we were to get an east wind, it would take us far longer going back. At present there's no sign of an east wind – in fact there's no wind at all! As for rowing back, Caspian, and Drinian – even that annoying pirate Arran – say that with the water rations it could mean the death of the men, too strenuous they say. _

_I for one think that a __ghastly__ lie. I tried to explain that perspiration really cools people down, so the men would need less water if they were working. Caspian ignored me completely (I'm wondering if that isn't something to do with his Telmarine heritage) which is his way when he can't think of anything to do, I shouldn't wonder. The others (his wife, Edmund, those Stars, Lucy, that weird woman Serene, and most of the crew, including Drinian) voted for going __**on**__ in the hope of finding land._

_I felt it was my duty to point out that we didn't __**know**__ if there even __**was**__ any land ahead of us. I told them that it was dangerous to get too deep into the ideals of __**wishful**__**thinking**__. Instead of producing a better plan, Arran (the rotter) asked me what __**I **__proposed. So I explained coolly and quietly that I had been kidnapped and brought away on this __**idiotic**__ voyage without my consent, and it was hardly __**my**__ business to get __**them**__ out of their scrape. _

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

**(**Would you like to know what _really_ happened? I thought so**.)**

Arran looked up at the sky, muttering in the language of the Stars. Rain poured down around them, the ocean rose in heaving swells, before dragging them down into the troughs. Suddenly a loud tear rent the heavy air, filled with the shouts of men and the fierce roar of wind and wave. He looked up sharply, blonde dreadlocks dripping, soaked to the skin.

In the howling wind a line had been torn loose keeping the great purple sail tied securely to the mast. He jumped up quickly, boots sliding down the steep slant of the wooden deck as he made his way to the rigging. A few sailors looked at him as if he was insane, for he very well might've been, for while everyone was clinging to some sort of security to prepare for the oncoming trough, he was free sliding down the deck. He reached the rigging and grabbed a loose line as the ship jerked hard to the left, her timbers groaning.

He gasped for a breath as the ship weathered the wave and began cresting the next. Upon reaching the foretop, he grabbed the rope and lashed it to the mast, then slid down the slick ropes to the deck once more. Drinian shouted a form of thanks, and Arran nodded, before jumping to the side to keep a man from falling overboard as he tried to secure what was left of the water casks.

After three days of struggling to stay alive, the storm abated, withdrawing into the north. As quickly as it had overtaken them, it left, leaving in its wake a bright sunrise and a sapphire blue ocean stretching on forever in all directions, with no land in sight. The _Dawn_ _Treader_ looked like a ghost ship. Her purple sail hung wet and limp from the mast, jagged and torn in many places. There was no way to repair it as the extra canvas, and canvas thread, had washed overboard along with the poultry and three casks of water.

The mast was broken, splintering and groaning with every sway of the ship, only being held in place with yards of rope and the sailors unwavering determination. Everyone was on deck, except for Lucy and Susan, who had stayed with Gael and Rilian in the cabin. Arran stared up at the swaying mast, dreadlocks dripping saltwater. Edmund and Caspian were drenched as well; looking at one another wondering what could be done. Drinian, finally relaxing from steering the ship leaned against the helm, and rested his head on his arms with a dejected sigh.

Zephyr and Gavan looked about dismally, knowing there was not enough they could possibly do to keep sailing forward, short of turning back. Gavan ran his fingers through his wet hair, breathing out heavily as he surveyed the littered deck. The storm had taken a great deal with it, including the wind, Serene noted, looking at the sagging sail.

"Your Majesties, what should we do?" Tavros walked up to them, waiting for orders from the monarchs or his captain, who's wet, dark brown hair hung limply about his unexpressive face.

It was Arran who stepped up, instantly giving orders for the stunned leaders. "Well, clear the deck, what do you think you should be doing? This is a ship of the Royal Navy, not a derelict junk from the Orrinian Seas! You, haul up those lines, you men, raise the red lion, we are limping, but we are not lost! Pull up that derrick, Secure the mast! Drinian, pull yourself together, you still have a ship to steer!"

After a bit, Drinian and the others came out of their stunned silence and began helping. Rhince shouted for Caspian who had been working with the sailors to better secure the mast. "What is it?" the King asked, upon coming to his side.

"Look Sire, these casks, they're leaking, from being shaken about in the storm; what should we do?" He knelt beside two water barrels, running his hands down the rounded wood, showing Caspian the leaks.

"There's not much we can do, Caspian, I suggest emptying and stowing them underdeck," Arran commented, pausing from recoiling some rope to speak his piece.

Caspian nodded in agreement before speaking, "Do as he says Rhince, and find another man to help you." He waved him away, before sighing and looking down at the casks, lost in thought.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"What do we do now? Have we made it this far to come to nothing?" Drinian asked, gesturing wildly. The royals, Stars and the captain had withdrawn to the chart room to confer over what move to make next.

"Most of the food has been washed overboard, and now it seems we are gravely short on water; Sire, there is not much open to us," Rhince said, as he had been asked to attend so he might speak for the sailors.

"Well why don't we just go back to the Lone Islands," Eustace muttered in the background, as he had snuck in to hear the plans.

"Because, young master, it took us eighteen days to get from there, plus the three in this storm, and that was when we were going before a strong wind. Now there is nothing, and we _have_ nothing, no sail, even if we did have a wind going in the westerly direction. Besides, it would take us twice as long, unless we ran into a gale on the return journey," Drinian said, explaining with exasperation in his voice.

"Then get the men to row!" Eustace nearly shouted. Caspian smiled in amusement, this boy clearly did not have any idea of life and the way things worked, it was hilarious really.

"Out of the question! Do you fully understand that there are other beings on this vessel that need to drink just as much, if not more, than you? Rowing should only make the desire for a glass of water worse. And, from the way you act, I can tell you have never seen a mutiny over mere glasses of water!" Arran said angrily.

"It would never work Eustace, the heat would kill more of the men than thirst before we even came in sight of land," Caspian explained in a much calmer tone.

"It- it just couldn't work young master, but all the ideas that can be thought of are helpful," Drinian sighed, leaning over the chart table.

"I think we should bring it to the crew, let them vote, it is their lives being held in the balance here as well," Caspian declared after a time. There were nods all around, from everyone except Eustace. They headed out the door to face the crew. With a sigh Eustace went after them, trying to get them to see from his point of view.

"Men of Narnia, we have reached a decision, upon which we do not want to decide without your own opinions on the matter. The Queen, King Edmund, Queen Lucy, Lord Drinian, my friends the Stars, and Lady Serene have all agreed upon going onwards, in hopes of coming upon land. What say you?" His gaze drifted across the men below, watching facial expressions and the actions of the silent men.

"Aye, I agree for going on!" a sailor shouted, raising a fist skyward. Several more did the same, shouting agreement, and before long the entire crew joined in the rousing cheer. Caspian smiled. As always, he was amazed at their loyalty and belief in Aslan; and in their judgment.

"Very well, on to the east!" Caspian turned away, leaving the men to set the deck for moving onward. Edmund nodded with a half-smile, clapping a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"That went far better than I could have thought," he admitted with a relieved laugh.

"Wait, wait! Hold everything!" Eustace shouted to them, stumbling up to Caspian. Edmund rolled his eyes, while Caspian only smiled indulgently.

"Speak, cousin of Edmund," the King said good-naturedly.

"All that rot about rowing making men tired is just that, rot. When you perspire, it cools you down, so they would in reality need _less_ water," Eustace theorized. Caspian patted him on the shoulder, moving off. There was only so much he could put up with; he had things he had to do. "But really, if you would just _listen_," Eustace tried again, following after the king.

"My friend, I do not have the time to "just listen" as you put it. I must help my men, and that too requires attention, attention that, sadly, I cannot waste on you. Perhaps if you started to think in a more Narnian fashion, and less like some deluded desert wanderer, then perhaps I could spare that valuable time to listen." Caspian strode off, leaving Eustace gaping by the helm.

"Now, _that's_ a king to follow," Arran remarked, nudging the stunned Eustace with his shoulder.

"Get off me," Eustace said snarkily, pushing the pirate away and hurrying off.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Look, we don't know if there even is any land out there! It's dangerous to have nothing to go on except wishful thinking! Do you actually _know_ how potentially dangerous that even is?" Eustace shouted at Arran, Edmund and Caspian, about half an hour later as they were working to straighten the mast, which had taken to listing slightly to port once more.

"Well then, your lordship, what do you propose we should do; hmm? We eagerly wait for any and all brilliance of yours to lead us out of this dilemma," Arran said with a smirk and an exaggerated bow at Eustace.

The blonde boy rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation. "I was dragged on board this derelict ship without my consent, I did not want, nor did I wish, to go on any or all of your stupid adventures to find some blasted wave that touches the bloody sky! This entire voyage is idiotic and the spawn of some insane man who claims to be a king, along with my cousins, who I clearly see now are _also_ insane! No one asked me what I thought at the beginning of this retched business, so it is hardly up to _me_ to get you out of it now that _you_ see the dawning light!" Eustace shouted, waving his hands wildly as he raged.

"You didn't give him seawater, did you?" Reepicheep asked Edmund, with a slight smirk coming across his bewhiskered face as he slid down a rope from the mast. He had been helping Cruickshanks the dwarf secure the lines to the lookout's post.

"Sea water, sea wa- _oh_ – Cousin, when we return to Cambridge you will not hear the end of this!" Eustace threatened, walking off. Caspian laughed and turned to look at Edmund. Edmund slowly smiled, shrugging his shoulders, finally seeing the mirth in the situation.

So they continued east.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Whatever Date It Is:

_Still becalmed. Very short rations for dinner, and I got less than anyone. Caspian is very clever at doling out the rations and thinks I'm too stupid or something to notice! Lucy for some reason tried to make up to me by offering me some of her share but that __**interfering**__**prig**__ Edmund wouldn't let her. Pretty hot sun, I was terribly thirsty all evening. _

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The following morning was early, as the crew had agreed amongst themselves, and then put it to Caspian and Drinian, that in the early morning and in the evening, they should all put in for a bit of rowing, to at least get them going in some sort of direction. Eustace was complaining all the way to the galley. When he arrived, Arran, who had been sitting eating already, gave a groan as if greatly pained, and dropped his head on the table, moaning under his breath about it being too early for gutter snipes and brats to be out of bed eating with the working men.

Gavan came in at that point, cartwheeling between the wall of the ship and the benches lining the long galley table. Jumping up via a summersault, he grinned down at his older brother. "Not whining are we?" He asked, crystal blue eyes sparkling with amusement. Arran merely moaned the louder, motioning with his right hand at Eustace sitting farther down the table. Gavan tilted his head to look at the other boy.

"He does not like you, you know," the Star stated obviously.

"Thank you for the enlightenment, I suppose. I'm flattered," Eustace replied sarcastically. Gavan shrugged and sat next to his brother.

"So, what are we eating?" He asked, pulling his brother's plate away and towards himself with interest.

"Biscuits, gravy, Talail and half a pint of water," Arran's muffled voice came from under his braids and dreadlocks. He refused to move from this position until he was positive the sea scum had left.

"Disgusting, why biscuits? I hate biscuits and gravy. Can't we just eat Talail and Lroieen all the time?" Gavan mused, pushing the biscuits and gravy off the plate with Arran's fork, a disgusted look on his face.

"Tall-ail and el-roy-I-een? What in the world is that?" Eustace asked, glancing down at his plate with a slightly worried expression.

"Well, Talail is like fish, but not really, it's a – never mind – think of it as fish. And Lroieen is what we Stars refer to as water. Does that help?" Gavan explained, looking at the other boy, blonde hair sweeping across his forehead as he looked back down at the plate once more.

"It should satisfy his human curiosity enough for now. Why can't they just take things at face value? Why must Men always explore everything to the innermost parts? I get so sick of telling them over and over what things are," Arran muttered from under his blonde mop.

"I wish you would sit up like a presentable Human, at least _they_ have the decency to keep good table manners," Gavan scolded, jerking on a dreadlock. Arran turned his head to the side, looking at his brother with one eye in annoyance before returning to his facedown position.

"I will not dignify that with an answer," Arran declared after a moment's pause, slowly standing.

"Doesn't matter, you already have," Gavan pointed out with a laugh.

"Fine. I'm going up, join me? You know this doesn't nourish you any more than it does me. Food is for mortals, Men and Beast alike," Arran commented, looking down with disgust at his plate which Gavan had inherited through theft.

"I shall stay, thank you. I do like to socialize, while you prefer to be alone," Gavan replied.

"When all that's here to socialize with is a sea sponge, you'd think you'd rather join your own kin than stay down here. Enjoy his company," Arran said, before quickly taking the stairs two at a time to the upper deck. Gavan looked away from the direction his brother had gone to smile at Eustace. The boy scowled and pushed his plate away roughly.

"I'm going up top, I feel a bit dizzy down here, perhaps some fresh air will help," Eustace said by way of explanation as he left.

"Could I eat your food then? Oh, better drink that water you know; or you'll really become ill. Dehydration happens often out on the ocean if you don't drink enough," Gavan remarked helpfully, before leaning forward and pulling Eustace's half-filled plate towards himself. The boy waved off his words and climbed the stairs slowly.

Zephyr walked down not long after Eustace went up. "Where did you get second helpings from?" he asked, staring with a thoughtful frown at his brother. "Eustace was feeling generous," Gavan replied after a pause.

"Move over and let me share then," Zephyr ordered, sitting down next to his brother and picking up Eustace's fork.

"Hey, don't eat it all at once, it was mine first!"

"Liar, it was not, it was yours second," Zephyr contradicted.

Gavan laughed. "You do realize we're fighting over food we don't even have to eat, right?" he asked.

"Of course, we're brothers, this makes life interesting. If we acted like father all the time this would be the dullest century I've lived yet," Zephyr replied. Gavan shook his head with a chuckle and shoved his brother slightly; Zephyr grinned and pushed back.

**~|Xo0oX:|~**

That evening found everyone once more in the galley, waiting for dinner. The sailors, some of which had been on similar voyages, suggested that dinner be slightly less in serving portions than breakfast and lunch; Drinian had agreed, and told Caspian of the idea, which was why the helpings were smaller this evening than they had been all day. Eustace, as most people who think and act as he does, thought his servings were smaller than everyone else's, and naturally thought Edmund and Caspian had had a hand in this.

"And why should I be treated any less than all of you? I demand a larger serving!" the boy shouted, standing up. Lucy tugged at his sleeve, and tried to get him to sit down, but he jerked away from her.

"You all probably think I'm daft, don't you? You think I don't notice things. Well, the fact of the matter is I do! And I am not pleased." Eustace had the full attention of all the crew that was eating, and Caspian, along with Edmund, Susan, and Serene.

"Eustace, every man here has the exact same size rations as you. If you would be so kind, indulge me for a moment by _sitting_ _down_, please," Caspian said in a level tone. The crew looked at one another; they had never heard the King speak like that, well… ever.

Eustace nodded with a hint of fear and sat down, though he was still fuming inside. Lucy, once again feeling compassionate, pulled her plate over. "Here Eustace, you can have some of my dinner, I'm not that hungry." She smiled kindly, offering her plate.

"Lu, don't give him anything, he hasn't earned it, nor does he deserve it. He has to get along sometime without help from others, if he is ever to learn," Edmund suddenly spoke up from his sister's right, laying a hand on her arm. She looked at her brother and Edmund nodded. There was something in his eyes that Lucy remembered from their ruling years, he was thinking something. So she nodded with a little sigh and pulled her plate back in front of herself.

"Well, I'm going to bed! I wouldn't keep your company for the world; Alberta would be appalled by the lot of you!" Eustace shouted, standing and leaving.

Gavan glanced at Eustace's empty place setting. "Has the boy drunk _any_ water today? No wonder he's acting like he is, he's getting dehydrated. Let's only hope we can knock some sense into him before long, else he'll be a dead boy," Gavan muttered.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Whatever Date It Is:

_We have now been four days and three nights on these rations, still no wind, and the sun was hotter than ever. Yesterday was just horrible, so I won't go into it. The night before I woke just __**knowing**__ I was feverish and __**must**__ have a drink of water. Any doctor would have said so. Heaven knows I'm the last person to try to get any unfair advantage but I never __**dreamed**__ that this water-rationing would apply to a sick man. In fact I would have woken the others up and asked for some only I thought it would be selfish to wake them. _

_So I just got up, took my cup and tiptoed quietly out of the Black Hole we slept in, taking great care not to disturb Caspian, Edmund and Serene, they'd been sleeping badly since the heat and short water began. I always try to consider others whether they are nice to me or not. I got out into the room where everything (food wise) is kept, past the rowing benches and things. The cask of water that is open at the moment is at the back of this room. All was going beautifully, but before I'd drawn a cupful who should catch me but that __**little**__**spy**__ Reep. I tried to explain I was going on deck for a breath of fresh air (the business involving the water had nothing whatever to do with him) and he asked me why I had a cup. _

_He made such a noise that the whole ship was roused. They treated me scandalously. I asked, as I think anyone would have, why Reepicheep was sneaking about the water cask in the middle of the night. He replied that as he was too small to be of any use on deck, he did sentry over the water every night so that one more man could go to sleep. Now comes their rotten unfairness: they all believed __**him**__. Can you beat it?_

_I had to apologize or the dangerous little brute would have been at me with his sword. And then Caspian showed up in his true colors as a brutal tyrant and said out loud for everyone to hear that anyone found 'stealing' water in the future would 'get two dozen'. I did not know what this meant until Edmund explained it to me. It comes in the sorts of fanciful books those Pevensies read I suppose. _

_After this cowardly threat, Caspian changed his tune and started being __**patronizing**__. Said he was sorry for me and that everyone felt just as feverish as I did and we all must make the best of it, etc., etc. Ohhh I hate him. Stayed in bed all day today. _

**~|:Xo0oX:|`**

Eustace had not been consistent with drinking water, like Gavan had told him to be, so he was far thirstier than the others, and felt worse because of it. The boy didn't come out on deck, under the claims that he was far too ill for any such thing. The Stars talked it over amongst themselves; they would not leave their friends, under no circumstances whatever. They mused over Eustace, and surprisingly, it was Zephyr who mentioned the fact that Aslan had a very good reason for him to be here, otherwise, he would not have done so.

The days went on, and the heat was coming to the point of being barely bearable. The light bits of breeze were not enough to move a single thing, let alone bring relief to the crew. No one slept well anymore, except for perhaps the children. But like the truly brave people the Narnians and Pevensies were, they did not mention their tiredness, or the heat. Everyone kept stoically going on. Everyone that is, _except_ for Eustace. He stayed in bed, drank some water and generally acted as if he were gravely ill.

That night, after everyone except the watch had gone to bed, Eustace decided to get up and help himself to a glass of water. A small part of him realized that he had been petty, and selfish, so he wanted to amend that. He also grudgingly admitted to himself that if he had followed Gavan's advice, he would not feel as bad as he did. But to keep from feeling guilty entirely, he justified his actions by saying that things were unfair and that everyone was treating him unjustly.

So, he woke in the middle of the night dreadfully thirsty, but knew that he shouldn't get water, as it would be unfair on his part; once again he justified his reasons in his own mind, before getting up and leaving the area in which he slept. He was truly careful to keep from waking anyone, that kinder, more sensitive part of his mind knowing that they were all just as tired and ill as he was feeling. His intentions were honorable, but his actions were not. Had it been done in a different context, perhaps it would not have gone down as it had.

Eustace quietly walked to the galley kitchen, careful not to wake Rhince, who was sleeping nearby. Reep watched him from the rafters, wondering if he should let the boy take a small cupful of water or not. Finally, he realized that to remain fair to the crew and himself, he had to stop Eustace. It would look badly for the monarchs if their relative got 'extra' water rations than the rest of the crew, were this to be discovered. And most things done in secret and under cover of darkness are often discovered.

So the Mouse unsheathed his rapier and jumped on top of the water cask. "Do you have any idea what you are doing?" He asked in a stage whisper.

Eustace jumped, quickly hiding the cup behind his back. "J-just going up top, getting a breath of fresh air you know, to clear my head," Eustace replied quickly.

Reep sighed. If he had told the truth, he might have been inclined to pour the boy a glassful of water himself for his honesty. "You know that's not what you were doing. Eustace, when will that good streak of yours win out? I know it's in there somewhere, Aslan will bring it about someday, if not on this adventure than the next," Reep murmured sadly.

"What are you blathering on about? Can't I go up top without a great to-do?" Eustace muttered in annoyance.

"Listen here! You know you weren't going up on deck, as the stairs are back there," Eustace looked around blankly for a moment, worsening his predicament. "Behind you," Reep sighed, rubbing a paw across his face, motioning with his blade.

"Ah, yes, I knew that. Now, please excuse me," Eustace replied, turning unsteadily as the ship swayed.

"You cannot just leave, it's not that simple!" Reep nearly shouted, waking Rhince by the door. The sailor listened for a moment to the argument before rushing off to wake Drinian and Caspian. Soon the whole ship was roused; giving the Mouse and the boy a large audience. The crew was muttering and murmuring amongst one another when Caspian entered, Edmund and Drinian not far behind.

"What is going on now?" He asked tiredly, looking around, his gaze coming to rest on Reep and Eustace.

"I regret to inform your Majesties that your relation has tried to steal a ration of water. I caught him red-handed," Reepicheep declared, pointing the tip of his blade at Eustace with an air that was not one of triumph, but of disappointment.

Eustace couldn't stutter out an answer. He simply stood there blustering. Edmund sighed in defeat and buried his head in his hands. Why, why, why? Of all the people to come with them it had to be _Eustace_.

"Eustace, you know that the water and provisions have been rationed accordingly. We cannot, if we wish to keep going, take more than what has been given us. I was told that you have not been taking your rightful share, which leaves you in this state. From now on, do as someone advises, because, it is generally thought that they might know more than oneself. Do you understand?" Caspian said, looking at Eustace.

For all the annoyance Eustace had caused him, and even though Caspian had been woken in the middle of the night, he was still kind to the boy, and his kindness carried over into his tone, even though he was speaking as a reprimand. Eustace gave a quick nod.

"Wait, how come no one questions the Mouse about being around the water cask? How do you all know he hasn't been sneaking more than his share?" Eustace suddenly spoke up, making Edmund groan and rub a hand down his face in exasperation.

"Because, cousin of the Queen, I am too small to be of any true assistance on deck. So, I keep guard over the water, allowing for one more man to get his sleep this night, as they need it more than I. It is not a large occupation, nevertheless it is an honorable one, and I will not shirk from it," Reepicheep explained calmly, even though his honor had been questioned.

"B-but, why…? How…?" Eustace stuttered, pointing dumbly at Reep as he fumbled for words.

"Now apologize to Reepicheep, for what you said, and to the crew for what you nearly came away with doing; even though you deserve worse than merely doling out apologies. Now please, I am tired, and growing impatient," Caspian stated, motioning for the boy to speak.

"I'm sorry for doubting you. And I'm sorry for acting unfairly," Eustace grumbled, keeping his eyes downward, not looking up as he spoke.

"Because of this incident, which I wish never had happened, I must enforce rules. Though I regret that it has come this far as to laying down laws and regulations, seeing as you have all remained faithful and trustable unto this moment, it must be done. In future, any man talking of, or apprehended stealing water will get two dozen. I do not like to say that, but, it stands. You have been warned, it is only fair judgment from this moment forward. And I mean _any_ man, royal or otherwise," Caspian declared, disappointed brown gaze coming to rest on Eustace as he spoke.

He moved off to talk to Drinian and Reep, while Eustace eased over to Edmund. "Cousin, what does he mean by 'two dozen'?" Eustace asked.

"Do you know what a lash is, Eustace," Edmund said, raising an eyebrow and turning a fraction of an inch to better meet his cousin's gaze.

"N-no, I mean, not really. It's some sort of punishment, isn't it?" Eustace replied questioningly.

"Yes, the very worst. It's a whip. Surely you've heard of those?" Edmund sighed.

"Not generally, only in a vague manner."

"Five bring blood; ten leave you wondering what in Aslan's name made you deserve them. Twelve leave a man's back in a bloody mess. After two dozen, it's a wonder you can stand at all. _That _is what 'two dozen' mean, cousin," Edmund spat sharply. He did not enjoy recalling lashes. He had never been partial to that sort of punishment; it disgusted him, but _was_ necessary in situations like these.

Eustace looked taken aback. In all truth he was. At that moment Caspian walked up. "Eustace, I am sorry you are feeling ill. But everyone feels as badly, Aslan knows I do. But we all have to suffer through it; no man can take or claim better than the next. As the leaders, we are the examples. As family, you cannot be seen to have any better than the cabin boy. I may not treat you any different, as Edmund would not treat me with partiality merely because I married his sister. We are all of even worth, and as such, must offer decent morality. And if morality means suffering the same punishment as the crew, then so be it. I do not want to see you here in this predicament again." Caspian rested his hand briefly on Eustace's shoulder before turning and leaving the room.

The crew returned to their hammocks and Drinian returned to the helm, Reep blew out the lantern and once again paced in the dark, ever so often gazing up through the hatchway at the stars shining brightly overhead. He wondered how close to the breaking point this would take them all, and if they could last the test. He hoped they all could.

**A/N:**

**Well, I'm back, again! No, sadly, my internet is not back up, I'm once again at the library. Can you believe this is chapter **_**eighteen**_**? I know, right? To me it feels as if I started writing yesterday. Well, enough of my blathering! **

**I rather like this chapter, although some parts sound rather odd. The reason is that when I read Narnia and write it at the same time, I take into use Jack's writing style and the contemporary acting of the film, which is more modern in English than Jack's writings. Hence, my writing style mixed with a more classical approach. Like the formal third person and all. **

**Small note I wanted to point out: In the book, a man falls overboard in the storm and they never saw him again. Arran (because he's my OC and just because) saved him. I mentioned that in passing. Don't know if you noticed that or not. **

**Also, the Orrinian Seas that Arran mentions are much like the Oriental Seas. **

**I enjoyed writing the Gavan and Zephyr bit. I don't know, for some reason I'm better at writing boys and men and brothers in general. I'm not all that great at writing the girls. I cannot figure out why. **

**I enjoyed writing Caspian in the end there, where he's all adult. It's about that moment that I'm trying to get all my readers to realize that he's an adult who lays down rules and is a serious king, and not the child of the books or the relaxed, laid back king of the films. That was one of the few things that bothered me of Ben's acting. Not as realistic as I'd been hoping for. **

**I like the fact that I can make him both the king of the book and the king of the films, all the while adding my own spin to his character. There's no way you can really OC him when you use both personalities. **

**This chapter was more Caspian, Eustace, Drinian, the Stars, and Reep than anything else, besides moving the story plot forward and throwing in a dash of adventure. If I left out anyone's favorite parts from the book, please forgive me, I cannot put in everything I want to either. I read it and I'm like; "Oh, I'm so sorry Jack, I'm so sorry, but I just can't do this, please understand!"**

**Next chapter will be pretty cool. By the way, we've got about six or seven chapters left to go. I cannot believe how far I've come from the first book; you guys, this has been awesome! **squeals in delight, Arran gives me Kleenex while rolling eyes**. **

**Well, I think that's about it! Hope you guys enjoyed it!**

* * *

**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...} Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note.**

**Happy reading, **

**W.H. 1492**


	19. Discoveries, Both Alarming and Queer

**Chapter Nineteen: Discoveries, Both Alarming and Queer**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Reep was the first to spot it; a low land lying like a cloud between them and the horizon in the distance. He had gone up top to make doubly sure the mast ropes were still securely tied and that the sail was not in danger of tearing loose. Just as he had finished knotting off a loose rope, he looked up. He had never been so excited nor overjoyed to see land in his life; he could hardly speak because of the shock. Finally, he found his tongue, and shouted with all the strength in his small frame.

"Land ho! Land straight ahead!" He shouted with a slightly wild laugh as he slid down the ropes to the deck. "Drinian, land!" he cried again, scurrying up to the helm.

"I know my friend, I know," Drinian replied.

"Praise Aslan, land!" Arran cried, coming down from the fighting top, a look of relief that would have been comical in any other situation coming across his face.

All the Pevensies and Caspian came from the cabins and below deck. Lucy gave a shout of delight and twirled Gael around in excitement. Serene and Susan laughed until tears came to their eyes. They shared knowing glances; the older women had been thinking of more than just finding land, as women of their age are apt to do, they thought of the situation in its entirety.

"And you said that it was not possible!" Arran laughed, clapping Drinian on the back.

"I said the chance of finding land was _doubtful_!" Drinian amended.

Caspian, Edmund, Drinian and Arran held a brief council, but in the end, all four decided to go ashore, as provisions were sorely needed and they must find a new mast as soon as possible. They were lowering the longboats, when Edmund remarked, "This place may hold some answers."

They came ashore by way of a pebble strewn beach; tiny pebbles of fine, smooth colored glass that shone rainbow hues in the sunlight. Lucy picked up a handful and marveled at the beauty as she sifted them through her fingers. Gael laughingly picked up several purple colored stones as well. They walked farther up the beach and came to some perfectly rounded boulders, not as if they had been fashioned to such a shape, but as if they had been created naturally so. After these was lush grass cut all the same length, like a thick carpet; and a wonderful deep, dark green it was all around; as if there were ten gardeners hired to keep it.

It softened the sound of their boots to whispers and made Lucy think of the beautiful gardens back home, like the garden Digory had had at his country estate. The trees were trimmed and pruned so that not a broken or dead branch was in sight. The bushes were trimmed into unusual shapes, figures of mermaids and dragons, knights and chargers. Sometimes a dove or pigeon cooed, but otherwise there was stillness, a sleepy sort of peace that Digory would have known well.

"There is magic here, of great quality," Arran remarked, resting his hand on a tree's smooth trunk. Serene nodded as they came to a well-sanded path, with not a weed in sight. Smooth, rounded, grey marble stones lined the path, and outside of these were rose shrubs, with blooms of all hues, from burgundy to blue, surprisingly. And past these were spruce and cypress trees, spaced evenly into the soft light of the afternoon.

Soon they came to a small bridge, of light red wood, that ran over a pond with sapphire blue water, and emerald green lily pads, the blossoms as white as snow. Swimming slowly underneath were what Lucy knew would be referred to as coy fish in her world. But they were far more stunning, their tails and fins rippling like the finest silk under the water as they swam.

Ahead of them was a beautiful mansion, more beautiful, Edmund acknowledged, than any of the finest houses in England. It was of grey sandstone and marble. The leaded window panes of the first, second and third floor rooms glittered slightly in the sunlight as they entered the courtyard. Here too, the landscaping was stunning. Hollyhocks, irises, roses and calla lilies were in the garden beds by the windows, and over the front entry hall grew green ivy and trailing honeysuckle of a fiery orange color. The fine white gravel under their feet was white marble, and the beauty seemed never to end.

The stables to their left were silent, but gave off the feeling that they were full. After a while, Lucy began to feel as if she was being watched, but every time she glanced in that direction, there was nothing, not even a movement of the ivy trailing over the roof and down around the stable doors, to give hint that someone was watching. Edmund, Drinian, Caspian, Rhince and most of the men walked around the mansion, wondering if the master of the residence was in.

After a while, Edmund came up to Lucy. "We can't understand it, it seems as if someone has not lived here for some time, and yet, everything around here is so perfect. Drinian and Arran both suggest waiting here before we actually take any water, as it would be proper to wait for the Lord of this manor," he confided, turning to look back at the mansion as he finished.

"Hmm, so we may _drink_ the water, but we won't take any? Because I wish for a full glass of fresh water; Eustace is right about that, the water on board _is_ beginning to taste like the cask it came from," Lucy said with a smile.

Edmund smiled with a shake of his head, "Yes, he is right about that."

After Arran and Caspian had fully explored the mansion, and both agreed that it seemed empty, they headed back toward the shore. Everyone was tired of spending their nights on the ship, so it was a warm shout of agreement that met the proposal of sleeping on the beach. Everyone eagerly helped take the necessary things off shipboard to the beach, even Eustace. Fires were lit and then Drinian, Arran and Rhince told the sailors and Susan, who had not come with them, about the beauty they had seen so far of this strange new island.

Susan listened with a smile, simply content to know they were all safe back and that they had finally found land and decent water. She looked around at all the exhilarated, yet tired faces. Tomorrow, she thought, yes, tomorrow would be a good day. Things would finally, perhaps, look a little brighter, even though they had still so much left to explore.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy had stayed up after the others to read a book from chart cabin, eager to know of the goings on and happenings in Narnia since they'd left, and what had gone on in that long gap of time between their ruling years and the time they had returned to help Caspian gain his throne. She had fallen asleep after finishing yet another chapter in the book about the Dark Age of Narnia. A quiet, perhaps the same quiet that causes one to think they had been there forever and that nothing loud or frightful had ever happened, descended upon the island. It was, had the Stars been able to stay awake to tell them, a magical sleep, something only the best of magicians could perform. Leaving the recipient only good dreams and feeling well-rested when they awoke the next morning.

From the velvety darkness of the trees that grew twenty feet up the beach, came soft voices and an unusual thump, that anyone, beast or man, would have heard in a regular setting. But here, with the good magic so strong and dark magic so far off, it was impossible. The only way to avoid the wonderful enchantments was if one was a strong magician, or a being that had had an enchantment placed upon him. These creatures had just such a thing done to them, making them 'immune' so-to-speak, against any of the magic.

With muffled thuds on the pebbles, they looked down on the sleeping party of Narnians.

"Remember, it must be The Girl! Unless you can find a magician among them, what fortunate luck that would be!" one voice muttered.

"Nope, no magician among this lot," a second voice declared.

"Oi, look here, hear that? They must have brought a pig with them! Why you'd bring a dirty pig to such beautiful shores," a third complained.

"I found a girl, Chief, is she the right one?" a fourth voice spoke up hopefully. There was a bit of thudding before any answer was given.

"You stupid blighter, this one is too small to be Her! Why can't you ever pay attention? Remember, The Girl is the one with the kind smile and that doe-brown hair, not hard to forget, unless it's left up to you," The First Voice, which was addressed as 'Chief' replied.

"Here's the one!" the Second Voice cheered. There were several quick thumps in the darkness as all the voices gathered around the girl in question. "And she reads too!" The Second Voice added, flipping the pages of a book by the girl's hand.

"Yes, it's her, come on then and quietly, even though I don't think anything would disturb her friends, the magic has them too strong now!" The Chief voice whispered gleefully, before thumping away back among the trees. The owner of the second voice carefully scooped up the girl and began thudding off; careful to keep her asleep so she couldn't see the way back or try to run away.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy woke with a start. Coming farther from the enchanted shores, where the magic was strongest, she woke from the thumping and unsteady movement of her captor. Before she could put much thought into fighting her way from them, she was unceremoniously dropped to the ground. Gathering her senses as best she could she looked around at the seemingly empty landscape. She had no idea where she was, and could not hope to find her way back in the pitch darkness. She looked up, and noticed the clouds racing past the stars in the night sky.

"Don't think about running off," the Chief Voice said suddenly.

"That's right Chief, you tell her," the Fourth Voice cheered.

Lucy's first impulse however was to pull her dagger, years of experience, and her recent adventure on Felimath, had taught her that. But just as quickly, it was knocked from her hand, and picked up by an invisible one and thrown into the surrounding darkness.

"What is it you want with me?" Lucy said loudly, trying to maintain an even tone and keep up her composure, though she felt close to tears.

"We want something you can do," the Chief Voice replied.

"And what is that?" Lucy pressed.

"Well, it is a rather long story. Suppose we all sit down?" The Voice asked. The proposal was warmly accepted by the other invisible beings, but Lucy, however, remained standing.

"Well," said the Chief Voice. "It's like this. This Island has been the property of a great man time out of mind, no, not great in that good sort of way, he's horrible, an oppressor, anyway, that is what we call him; the Oppressor. And we all are – or perhaps in a manner of speaking, I might say, we were – his servants,"

"Though slaves is more like it," the Fourth Voice interrupted.

"Yes, yes, servants, slaves, it's all the same to us. Now, to make a long story short, this man, the Oppressor that I was speaking about, he told us to do some things that we didn't like. And why not? Because we didn't want to. Well then, this same man, he fell into a great rage; for I ought to tell you he owned the island and he wasn't used to being crossed. He was terribly downright, you know. But now… wait, where was I?" the Chief Voice sounded befuddled, and seemed to fade as he questioned his own tale.

"The Oppressor was angry?" Lucy hinted, growing impatient with them, wondering if it was possible for someone to talk another to death in this place.

"Oh yes, well, the Oppressor goes upstairs; he dabbles in magic a bit, and kept all his things up there, so as we couldn't get to them, see. I say, he goes upstairs and puts a spell on us. An unglifying spell. If you saw us now, which you should thank your stars you can't, you wouldn't believe what we looked like before we were uglified."

"You wouldn't," the Third Voice added.

"Really and truly," the Fourth Voice chimed in.

"Anyways, there we all were, so ugly we couldn't bear to look at one another. You're probably wondering what we did. Well, I'll tell you, as this gets to the important business. We waited until we thought the Oppressor would be asleep in the afternoon and crept upstairs and got to his magic book, as bold as brass, to see what's something we can do about this uglification."

"We were all a-sweating and a-trembling to be sure, scared to death the Oppressor would wake before we'd finished," a Fifth Voice suddenly spoke from a distance away.

"But," the Chief Voice continued as if he had not been interrupted, "but believe me or believe me not, I do assure you that we couldn't find anything in the way of a spell for taking off the ugliness. And what with time getting on and being afraid that the old man might wake up any minute – I was downright nervous, I won't deceive you – well, to cut a long story short, whether we did right or whether we did wrong, in the end we did see a spell for making people invisible. And we thought we'd rather be invisible than go on being ugly as all that. And why? Because we'd like it better," The Voice paused for breath.

"So the youngest of my bunch, that would be little Clipsie, who's now too grown and too old to be reading any spells – side's that all the magic's gone from her voice – read the spell aloud – you've got to read it aloud, I should say a young _girl's_ got to read it aloud, less'n you're a magician or a sorcerer – My Clipsie reads beautifully just so you know. Anyway, Clipsie reads the spell aloud and there we all were, as invisible as you could wish to see. And I do assure you it was a relief not to see another's faces. Least-ways, right at first."

"The long and short of it is this, we're mortal tired of being invisible. And there's another thing. We never did reckon the Oppressor to be going invisible too," a Seventh Voice spoke up.

"We haven't seen him since!" the Second Voice muttered dolefully.

"We don't know if he's dead or alive, or gone away, or whether he's just sitting upstairs going on being invisible," the Fourth Voice added.

"And believe you me, it's no manner of use listening because he always did go about without any shoes on, making no more noise than a great big cat. And I'll tell you straight young lady, it's getting to be more than our nerves can stand," the Chief Voice finished.

Lucy could not understand, and all the chatter from the other voices had driven her to frustration. "But, whatever do you need me for then?" She asked, glancing around into the darkness. As far as she was concerned, it seemed like they had _wanted_ to be the way they were.

"Why, bless me, if I haven't gone and left out the whole point," the Chief Voice cried.

"Indeed you have, indeed you have," shouted all the Other Voices in unison.

"Well, I needn't go over the whole story again, shall I?" the Chief Voice asked with slight uncertainty.

"No, please don't! I-I mean, do go on," Lucy cried, worried that she'd go insane if they did try to tell it over.

"Well, putting it bluntly, we've been waiting ever so long for a girl like yourself, see. A girl from foreign parts with magic in her voice, that's you Missy. Who could go upstairs and read aloud the words that would make us see-able creatures once more from the Book of Incantations." The Chief Voice finished.

"And here you are! A girl from over the water with magic on her tongue!" a Sixth Voice said almost encouragingly.

"You want me to free you, because you've no one else! Is that it?" Lucy cried, trying to keep the frustration from her voice. If only they had asked, and in the daylight, perhaps she would have been in better spirits.

"Yes, that's it," The Chief Voice replied, echoed by his followers.

"What if I don't want to help you?" She asked, curious as to what they might say.

"Then we'll have to kill your friends, as we promised one another that we wouldn't let any strangers off this island unless they helped us. And if you won't help us, we'll have to go into that nasty throat-slitting business. Merely because of, well, business – no offense," the Chief Voice replied.

"What must I do?" Lucy sighed, knowing she could not risk her friends, or her family, over such trifles.

"You must enter the house of the Oppressor," the Chief Voice answered, nudging her toward the darkness.

"There is no house, it's miles away in the other direction," Lucy protested, confused.

"Yes there is, right… _here_," the Fourth Voice answered. As he spoke, there was the clanging sound of heavy wooden and metal doors being opened, and before Lucy's eyes the darkness was revealed to be, in fact, the back wall of the mansion from earlier. Light of a dim, fire-type, the kind of which she remembered from her days when she would visit Mr. Tumnus, poured out between the now-opened double doors.

Lucy stepped toward the opening, thinking that perhaps this wouldn't be _all_ bad. Before she could get much farther, what felt like a spear crossed her shoulders, keeping her from moving forward. "Remember, the Book of Incantations is upstairs, and you must recite the spell 'That Which Makes the Unseen Seen' – got it?" A voice, which Lucy cared not if it was the Eighth or the Twelfth, told her.

"But, w-what about this 'Oppressor; what if he keeps me from doing as you've requested, will you let my friends go?" Lucy asked.

"Of course, can't very well blame _them_ if you get _yourself_ in a fix. Now go on, we haven't got all night!" the Chief Voice answered brusquely.

Lucy nodded, and as her title and nature suggested, valiantly stepped through the double doors, which clanged shut upon her entrance.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy jumped as the doors slammed shut, giving a small gasp of shock. Even though she had acted as if the mentions of the Oppressor hadn't truly frightened her, they had. She looked about, and was surprised to note that everything had the same grandeur of Cair Paravel. The same dark paneled wood and the same grey and brown marbled beauty of Peter's study or the Great Library. And the carvings! She could have cried with laughter, except she was still far too afraid to do such a thing in that solemn place. The carvings and engravings were beautiful gryphons, dragons, unicorns and all sorts of Old-Narnian things that she remembered from Cair.

The woodwork of the grand stairs that were in the center of the far wall, leading around and up, was marvelous. She lightly brushed her fingers over an orange and purple orchid growing in an olive-green pot by an alcove filled with books of all sizes. Some books were as big as maps (chart books) and some as small as pocketbooks (journals and the like). They were all covered in leather and brass-bound, or velvet and heavy parchment, dyed different colors with handwritten titles.

Lucy smiled as her glance landed on several quilled pens of various sizes in a cut-glass jar, near a narrow leaded window, that ran from the floor to the ceiling of the alcove. Edmund would love this house, she thought. There was thick Calormene-Persian type rugs with golden tassels spread at length along the wide halls and on each of the landings of the great staircase. She rested her hand on the dark wood banister as she began her ascent to the second floor. Her mind recalled when she and her siblings had been sent to Digory's by the Calormene scimitars and rounded shields hanging on the walls being so like the Roman and Persian ones that had belonged to the Professor.

In fact, there was an assortment of various weapons, ranging from Narnian to Telmarine, on the staircase walls. As she neared the last flight of stairs, she stopped on the final landing and gazed up at a rack of Calormene, Archish, Telmarine and Narnian spears, shuddering slightly when she realized that they had most likely been collected from some battlefield or other. Turning from them, she peered down a long hall, lit at intervals by small, overhanging chandeliers made of dark metal, which reminded her of Miraz' castle.

Realizing they had failed to tell her which door she had to open to find the Book of Incantations, she began looking into each door. The doors were not the plain doors of your home, or my own. At first, each one had fantastical, painted, carvings of fairytales, Lumean mostly. She noticed carvings of the Stone Table, and of herself, Peter, Susan and Edmund standing beside their thrones; these rooms opened into bedrooms and other such things one might find in a regular mansion. As the doors went on, however, there were different carvings. Those of a great dragon breathing fire and smoke down on a village that Lucy had never seen before; and battles, ruined cities and towns. Soon she forgot about opening the doors, and simply passed each one to look upon the carvings.

These were now carvings of kings, and men – women too – beings she did not know _what_ to call. At one door, she paused to run her fingers over three carved beings – Stars clearly – who were looking down at something. It took her a moment to decipher the carvings below them in the dim light. Almost at once though, she understood they were watching the creation of Lumea. Then there were people holding rings, and people sifting what Lucy interpreted to be sand into a box. Sometimes Lucy realized the worlds carved into the doors were not Lumea at all, but others, vastly different from Narnia.

It was then, as her hand rested on a door handle, about to twist it downwards and push in to enter the room; that she remembered Digory telling her and her siblings about the Wood Between Worlds that he and Polly had discovered. And how, if you jumped into certain pools of water between the trees, with certain colored rings on, you might go about getting yourself into other worlds. She jerked her hand away from the door when she realized that at the end of this hall was yet another staircase, which probably led to yet _another_ hall filled with carven doors. What if, the thought came to her sharply, what if all these doors led right into other worlds, and that the carvings meant that those would be the places and times you went to in them?

She shook her head to rid herself of the outrageous idea, before coming to the last door. This was not one door, but two, and, compared to all the others in the hall, (there were twenty-four other doors) these were rather plain. The carvings were of what appeared to be some sort of library, with a man carven across both doors, his back to the observer, performing some sort of magician's trick, a great book open before him. His robe came to the carved floor and books were about his feet. Lucy decided, upon noticing the great book, that this must be the room that held the Book of Incantations.

She pushed open the double doors, which groaned as if greatly pained by her efforts, to reveal a two-story library with a domed glass roof. It was beautiful, a perfect miniature of Great Library back at Cair, she thought. An eerie sigh fell over the room as she entered, and the flickering light suddenly took on a more ominous aspect. She walked quickly up to the large leather and iron bound book resting on a silver and gold book-stand. She frowned upon trying to open it, and found that try as she might, she could not pull the clasp. Remembering Edmund's journals, she looked about for a hint as to how to unclasp it.

Two cherubs, made out of brass which was part of the top of the book-stand, seemed to blow on the clouds below them. Lucy took the hint and blew on the jumbled letters across the front of the book. 'The Book of Incantations' came out of the mess. Lucy smiled; she was that much closer to finishing her adventure.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Well, how do you like this? It's one part book, one part movie and one part my own head (the doors for instance; in the book they had signs with strange names). I rather enjoyed writing this, I suppose because it's really (if you were to exclude my characters and little tidbits of course) what I would have wished had happened. I mean, look, how hard could it have been to combine both the book and Twentieth Century's plot? I can do it, and so could they. Sometimes, like now, I wonder what they were thinking. **

**Oh, by the way, there are hints of several other fantasy books in this chapter. Lotr, the Hobbit, the Magician's Nephew, a fantasy book **_**I'm**_** trying to write, A Wrinkle in Time, and a few more that I can't remember now. Just thought you'd find that interesting, though you probably already noticed these things. **

**I don't know what else to write in this a/n, isn't that curious? I can say that I changed a few things to what I had always seen in my head from reading the book. Like the shore of colored glass, and the roses. I like writing descriptions of places, and I wish that I could make a film so that all of you could see exactly what I see when I write. It really is a shame. **

**Surprisingly, it wasn't very difficult for me to tie-in book, movie, and my own personal plot as I thought it would be. I had expected this would take days to get even one chapter out, and here I've nearly finished three! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope you enjoy the next too.**

**Small side-note: I _cannot believe_ I am slightly over 100,000 words! **_Awesome!**_ **

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**Thank you for your wonderful review, and pointing out that error in my last chapter, I knew something sounded wrong about that. (I had a week and a bit more to fix it, I can't believe I didn't!) I'm glad you like the Stars too. I don't know why, but I love writing them. And yes, my hand has gotten better; thank you!**

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**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...} Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note.**

**Happy reading, **

**W.H. 1492**


	20. You Will Be Tested

**Chapter Twenty: You Will Be Tested**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Whether it was the magic of the house or the fact that the hall was long and deeply enchanted, Lucy had taken several hours to arrive at the library door, which meant that now, on the beach; the sun was rising over the waves of the ocean. When you're at sea, and there are no trees, buildings or other land to break up the sun's rising, it gets light out very quickly. And, as the sun grew brighter and warmer, the enchanted sleep of the people on the beach wore off.

The Stars, by nature a very alert people, woke first. Arran was dazed, trying to understand how in Aslan's name he had fallen asleep when he was a Star, and usually never did such things.

Zephyr rolled onto his back and muttered some nonsense about eating lunch at dinner and breakfast in bed, before jerking up with a start, realizing he had been asleep and dreaming for the first time in, well, decades. He ran a hand through his wild hair and looked around. "We... Were we _sleeping_?" He asked Gavan, who was yawning; and stretching from the uncomfortable position he had fallen asleep in.

"By the Lion, I believe we were," Arran muttered in reply, looking about.

Slowly the rest of their party began to stir a bit as the sun warmed them. Susan woke not long after the Stars. Glancing about, she began counting sleepers and making sure that all who had come ashore were ashore. She stood with a start when she noticed Lucy was not there.

"Caspian, Edmund, Lucy is gone. Get up, Lucy is gone!" She urged, shaking her brother and husband on the shoulder while looking around for her sister.

Both instantly woke, turning to her for answers. "Where could she have gone?" Susan worried aloud, brushing back the strands of hair that had fallen loose from her braid during the night as she spoke.

"She couldn't have gone far Su," Edmund soothed, trying to calm his sister as Caspian roused Drinian and reached for his sword.

"Get up, come on, and look alive!" Drinian whispered sharply, nudging the men with the toe of his boot to wake them. He could not believe that he had fallen into such a stupor; he'd never experienced the like. Inwardly he reprimanded himself for being so off-guard that he allowed a girl to get past him.

Susan tugged a confused, mostly asleep Gael to her feet as they left the beach and walked rapidly into the interior of the island. Everyone, in the rush and worry over Lucy, quite forgot Eustace, who was snoring enough to wake the dead.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy gave a small gasp when she opened the heavy cover of the Book. Her fingers tingled with what she knew to be magic as they brushed the first page. It was beautiful, she thought, looking at the wonderfully written, not printed mind you, words on the first page. There were illustrations around all the elegant first letters and around the words, like books from the medieval times in our world. The spells began instantly, there was no title page, nor title telling who had written the book or how old it might be, the spells simply began right off.

Lucy paged slowly through them, getting the feeling that one should not flip heedlessly through the pages as you might a novel or book of fairytales. The paper was crisp and smooth and the smell from the book was that wonderful smell you might find in a private library or the antique sections of a used bookstore. She glossed lightly over the first pages, reading things here and there, remembering what Edmund had told her in the Golden Age about reading spells and incantations full on, how dangerous it could be.

But, finally, she came to one page that was different, it was all black, and the words were white. Because she wanted to, she read them, intrigued. "'With these words, your tongue must sew for all around there, to be Snow'." She giggled slightly, more from nerves than anything else, when a single flake of snow landed on the black pages.

She gasped when more fell on her hair and started to cover the ground and objects around her. She laughed, unable to help herself, for this was much nicer than the snow and cold she had felt upon entering Narnia for the first time. This felt almost as play magic might, the kind Edmund used to dabble in when he had been king. It was simple beginner's magic, but still, Lucy loved it. She turned quickly back to the book when she realized that the snow would melt and perhaps damage it, forgetting momentarily that it was a _magic_ book. And you know; magic books are seldom ruined. They wouldn't be very powerful if they could be, now, would they?

She blew the snow off in one hurried motion, and instantly, in a manner one finds common among magic books, the pages began to turn fast and thick, as if a fan had been switched on at the side of the room. Quickly, worried that the book might flip past the page she wanted, she held them down with her right hand. As she did so, however, a strange feeling came over her, the feeling of being watched, and that she should not have stopped the book. Now too, the snow, the innocent play snow of before, was gone, and only an odd chill was left. Shaking off her superstitions, she leaned over the pages that were now open before her.

Without thinking, she spoke aloud the words written there; "'An infallible spell to make you she, the beauty you've always wanted to be.'"

Guessing it was the next step to the spell, she glanced at the right-handed page. She was about to turn it, when the picture changed to that of herself. She gave a start when the picture morphed into Susan's.

"Susan how did you–" she broke off and jumped away in surprise when the picture spoke at the same time she had. She leaned back, looking over the mirror-like page carefully. _'I never wanted to __**be**__ Susan, merely look pretty like she does,'_ Lucy thought uneasily. But still, something had caught hold of her – something malicious – and was carefully twisting things so that she began to think it all right; what she saw on the page. Perhaps the enchantment of the room was slightly more powerful over the evil, or maybe the magic inside of Lucy knew it was wrong. Whatever the case, she turned from the book and went over to a dark mirror to get a glimpse of her face, to see if she was permanently like Susan.

The mirror told no lies, it also showed all magic in the room, and, had Lucy seen close enough, she would have noticed the frustration in her eyes and the unusual mist hazing the floor in the shadowy background. As it was, she only glanced at herself before darting back to the open Book, the part of her that had been tempted craving more of the beauty from the picture-mirror of the Book.

"No – wait!" That part of her begged, though the sensible part screamed otherwise. She ignored the voice in the back of her mind shouting that this was wrong, and that she should go on before it was too late. "Make me she…" Lucy murmured, reading the tiny words written round the edges of the second page. Looking at the page, she decided, and in a moment, it was torn off in her hand.

At the same instant, a great roar echoed through the whole room, going on forever, causing the pages to flip wildly, as if in a mad rush to please the great beast. Lucy jumped back, shaking slightly she watched the pages as they turned, dust coming off ones not used in centuries and what looked like fine glitter and specks of light falling off others.

"_Lucy… Oh Lucy…" _A firm, powerful voice murmured as if in great sorrow, causing the girl to give a start. She just managed to keep from screaming when she recognized the soft voice calling to her.

"Aslan?" she stuttered fearfully. Almost for a moment in a long mirror not far away, she thought she saw Aslan's regal face peering back at her, eyes wide with regret and pain at what she had done. Then it faded, and she was alone once more, the Book rustling slightly as it flipped to its final page. For the first time in her life, Lucy realized she had done something that went strongly against Aslan, and she regretted doing it. But there was something that stayed her hand from returning the page, and she could not tell what. She walked back to the bookstand and nervously stared down at the open pages. What she saw surprised her greatly.

Unlike the many pages before these, this one was dull and rather boring in comparison. There were no colors, and the words were outlined faintly in black, giving the entire page a washed-out appearance. But at the top the title gave it away. "A Spell To Make The Unseen Seen" it read on those hollowed out letters.

'Like the 'P' in psychology, the H in psychiatry.

Invisible ink, and the truth in theology,

The sense in the words of a great politician,

Or the division of pi by a smart mathematician.

Like a leopard's spots in a field of snow

Nothing is simple we can't explain so,

That which has gone is there all the time.

Like rhymes that don't rhyme and worlds out of mind.

That which is gone will once again be,

Like the sun though it sets, will again rise

That which is gone is only disguise.

The spell is complete, and now all is visible,' Lucy read.

When she had finished, she looked up, wondering how much had been made invisible by the Voices, and if it was dangerous or perhaps angry. She also remembered their stories of the 'Oppressor', of whom she now recalled each and every detail. The pages, however, were another story. What had once been plain and ordinary, was beautiful, Lucy was sure it was much more lovely than any of the other pages, only now, she could not go back and look, as magic books are apt to do, one can only go forward, and you can't go back once you've opened it, unless you know a great deal of magic.

Lucy gasped when a shuffling sound came from one of the corners, and slowly, a man appeared. He walked slowly towards a table which Lucy now noticed held some food items. He dropped a book he had been holding onto a stack beside the table, and reached for another book while he sipped a cup of tea. She stumbled back a bit, and knocked into yet another pile of books. Abruptly, the old man looked up. His gaze was the intense one of a man, who has seen much, but the world and all that he has discovered has not yet wearied him.

"Why, hello," he said calmly.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy nodded slightly, wondering if he had been aware of what she had been doing, and had seen all that she had done. After a few moments of silence, however, she began to realize that he did not know, and relaxed. The man was quite different from how the Voices had described him as being. He was an interesting piece of work, as Polly Plummer would have said. His robe's burgundy hem dusted the floor and the dark maroon fabric was riddled with intricate designs and words that held little or no meaning to Lucy.

His beard and thick hair was a strange silver color, which, when he turned, seemed to shine slightly in the candle and firelight. His eyes were a twinkling blue that reminded Lucy of Gavan or Arran, though she did not understand why. He held a curiously carved staff, which reminded her of the beautiful doors in the hall. Strange things, strange words; swords, rings, dragons and knights all were intricately carved across the wooden object.

He was, as the Voices had said, barefoot, but it did not seem to bother him, nor did Lucy find it odd. She had seen far stranger and queerer from her time as queen over Narnia. A barefoot old man who was perhaps a foot taller than she, was nothing compared to those things. He returned to the shelves lining the room, as if searching avidly for something of great importance. After greeting her he shifted through a niche of scrolls, and with a flourish of his left hand, the room was gone over from floor to ceiling with a strange purple-to-blue light, sending all the books towards their rightful shelves.

"I only do that because this house is not mine, it is the _Master's_. I am a steward, if you will, dear Lady, for Aslan, Son of-the-Emperor-across-the-sea. I tend this as a punishment and as a _responsibility_. Oh yes, I know of Aslan, don't look so surprised," the man laughed lightly, as if amused, before it faded off as if he was recalling something that was bittersweet. "I know of many things – many worlds too. Though, it has been a while since I last visited any of them," he added with a sigh.

"W-what is your name?" Lucy asked, slightly confused and still rather nervous.

"My name. My name? It's been a long time since I had a name, hasn't it? No, no, I mustn't tell _her_ that, she doesn't need to know, it will come into knowing soon enough. Now, a name, a _name_…" he trailed off thoughtfully, talking it seemed, to himself and forgetting that Lucy was there at all.

"Forgive me, dear Lady, my name is Coriakin. And you are Queen Lucy, I should think?" he asked, smiling slighting, eyebrows rising to say silently that he knew he had guessed correctly.

"Yes, but, how did you know?" Lucy replied, her curiosity overcoming her initial fears.

"Well, I know a great deal, as I have already made mention. I have, of course, heard of The Four. But I knew when I let the Duffers make themselves invisible that _someone_ would be coming along presently to take the spell off. Didn't know _who_, exactly, but someone _always_ comes. You have to come really, it's the way things happen," Coriakin murmured to himself once again. "I didn't know the time, or the day, but I knew all the same that around _this_ time there would be someone, a girl naturally, who would lift the spell. Being made invisible makes me tired at my age, so I wasn't keeping watch for you as well as I should have been. I was asleep just now, up there on the shelf, among the books and the comfort of words." He pointed to what looked like a small alcove high in the shelves where Lucy could just make out a padded velvet green chair and a softly glowing lamp.

"Aslan told me you would be here soon. But I was not quite sure when. You see, He calls all times soon, so I was doing my best to be patient. That is what brought me to this punishment in the first place, impatience. I shan't go into it, a long, long ghastly story that," he muttered thoughtfully, drifting off into the infinity of his magician's mind where one man had a thousand voices and every voice spoke new and interesting ideas.

"You spoke to Aslan," Lucy nearly cried with relief and joy, "When?" she added, looking eagerly at Coriakin.

"Why, around noon yesterday. He tells me of what I don't know when I'm away in the Wood, supervising the Pools. Have to do that you know, after the accident. He said there had been a storm, and that just the party I was looking for to lift the spell would sail into the cove. I was excited, naturally, but fell asleep looking for them. He needs the documents you know, something to do with the beginning or whatnot," Coriakin confided.

Lucy, realizing it would be wise to nod, did so, instead of asking questions. Coriakin did not seem the man one asked questions of. You simply went along. He walked towards the doorway, and Lucy realized that he meant for her to follow. Hurrying after him, they walked side by side out into the hall.

"Has Aslan ever appeared to the- the Duffers?" Lucy asked, guessing that the 'Duffers' were her 'Voices'.

"Stars above no, He should frighten them out of their senses! Many Stars will grow old and come to take their rest in islands before my dear people are ripe for _that_. Oh yes, I know I used to be rather impatient with them, but, over the centuries I have become rather fond of their disagreeableness and their complaining company. As much as they dislike me, I have grown affectionate of them. By the way, my dear Lady, are you hungry?" Coriakin seemed to range over a great multitude of subjects, as wizards and magicians are apt to do, before coming to a reasonably understandable one.

"Well, I believe that I might be able to eat something," Lucy replied. "What time is it just now, I don't know at all," She added, looking over at the old man as they passed quickly by the last carven door in the hall.

"Well then!" Said the magician, "All times may be soon to Aslan, but in my home, all hungry times are eight and one o'clock!"

He quickly turned about and entered the last door they had passed. Upon entering it, Lucy found it closed off another hall, though this one was much narrower than the one they had come from. Before long, however, Coriakin stopped at a door carved simply full of foods and drinks and goblets of all kinds, some dishes Lucy even recognized as being from England. Upon passing in, Lucy found that the room was long and wide, filled with all sorts of flowers and plants too delicate to belong outside. The table in the center was bare, but, being a magic table, all the magician had to do was clap his hands and the food, along with silver, dishes and a wonderfully dyed tablecloth, appeared before them.

"Coriakin, if I might ask, just how big is this house, for it did not seem from the outside as if it could hold so many rooms," Lucy spoke up, as the magician led her to a seat.

"In Aslan's world, everything is not what the outside seems. The inside of things is often larger than its outside. And the lesson here, my dear Lady, is this; do not take anything at what it appears to be, for the inside often as not bear's even greater worth." He walked down to the end of the table and seated himself.

"Now, to turn to food; I hope that you find this enjoyable, for I tried to conjure up things you are used to from your world, instead of the dishes you have recently been dining upon." Coriakin smiled.

"It's lovely," Lucy reassured him. And indeed it was, an omelette, piping hot, cold lamb, green peas, a strawberry ice, lemon-squash to drink with the meal and a glass of crystal-clear water to follow. Lucy could not think to eat it all, and was surprised to find that the magician himself drank only wine and ate only bread. She asked why, and hoped that she was not offending him by eating all this other stuff. But he reassured her, in a way that reminded her again of Arran or his brothers; that food, from any world, really did not satisfy him. After a time, Lucy began to feel that she had known him for years and years. They talked of many things.

"When will the spell actually begin to work?" She queried, wondering how long it might take to make the Duffers visible if it had taken Coriakin only a few minutes.

"Oh, well, my Lady, they're all quite visible now. But probably all asleep, they sleep at this time of day. You may see them if you like, to be sure they're all right, and to satisfy yourself that they really aren't as ugly as they claim," Coriakin added, standing with a benevolent smile.

"So they truly don't look as they claim?" Lucy asked as they passed down several more halls and corridors, passageways and carven doors.

"Well, that _is_ a question. You see, it is only they who think they have been uglified, but that isn't what I called it. Many people would say the change is for the better – at least – men and women more like myself," Coriakin explained.

"Are they really terribly conceited?" Lucy asked, trying to hide her amused smile.

"I am sorely afraid to say they are – or at least the Chief Duffer is – and he's taught all the rest to be. They always believe every word he says," he added in a softer tone.

"I noticed that," Lucy replied.

"I should get on better with them, without him, in a way. Of course I could turn him into something useful, or even put a spell on him so that none of the others would believe a thing he was to say, but I don't like to do that. It's better for them to admire him than to admire nobody," Coriakin said with a fond smile, as if talking about children who were hopelessly lost in a fantasy land, and he knew he would never get them out of it.

They passed what Lucy guessed to be an observatory for gazing at the sky, with all sorts of delicate and polished instruments for stargazing, making her wonder again just _who_ Coriakin had been 'centuries ago' as he put it. Coming to a porch, the magician threw the double doors wide. "There, _there_ are your Duffers," he commented softly, gesturing in a sweeping motion out the window, stepping back so Lucy might go ahead of him.

She gazed downward intently, and for a moment could not tell what she was looking down on. At first Lucy thought them to be mushrooms, and then she realized they weren't, the colors about the stalks and roots were too bright and diverse to be uniform plants. All at once she saw it. Monopods. The Duffers were Monopods. She laughed quietly, covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh, I see now, you turned them into Monopods!"

"Yes, yes, I did, I did," Coriakin replied quietly, laughing along with her. "Now watch," he coaxed. Suddenly, in the belfry not a great distance away, the bells began to chime the hour. As they struck nine, the Duffers jumped up. Here was the interesting part. Monopods don't walk about as humans or two-legged beings. They must jump – like frogs or fleas – as they have only one foot. And they jumped high in the air and came down with a thump, which Lucy related to her experience of the night.

They laughed with glee, jumping in unison. "Visible we are!" cried one with a tasseled red cap, whose voice Lucy quickly recognized as being the Chief Voice. "And I do say, I _do_ _say_, when chaps are visible, they can _see_ one another!" he added, giving a merry hop.

"Ah, there it is Chief, there it is," Added another.

"That's the point, that's the point, no one's got a clearer head than you!" chorused all the others.

"She caught the old man napping, she did," spoke up the Chief again. "We've beaten him _this_ time!"

And with shouts and encouragements from the others, they hopped off into the trees, crying with joy and singing gleefully.

"But how do they go about talking of you like that? They seemed to be deathly afraid of you yesterday, don't they think you might be listening?" Lucy asked, looking to the old man with a hint of pity.

"That is one of the queer things about the Duffers. One moment they talk as if I ran everything and overheard everything and was extremely dangerous. The next minute they think they can take me in by tricks even a baby would see through – bless them!" The magician answered with a contemplative sigh and a wistful smile.

"What, if I might ask, were they before?" Lucy looked over at the magician curiously.

"Common dwarves, and not as nice as the kind you have in Narnia. Beastly little things from, well, never you mind where, that's my business, and my fault," Coriakin replied absently, fiddling with his carven staff. Both were silent for a moment, staring out the balcony.

"You – you don't think it would be cruel to leave them as they are? Because, well, they seem terribly happy like this; did you see the Chief jump? Perhaps I might tell them?" Lucy spoke suddenly, looking to Coriakin once more.

"Yes, later, but right now, I believe your party is in my courtyard, and quite worried about a certain young lady," he added with a fond smile, turning back the way they had come.

"Oh goodness, I had forgotten all about them!" Lucy cried, rushing after the magician.

"Come; let's go find them, shall we?" Coriakin bowed slightly, before leading the way.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Meanwhile all this had been happening; her friends and relatives were searching apprehensively for her; with Drinian feeling worse and worse about himself as they went on. They came to the front of the house, and were startled to see six grey horses peering over their stable doors and several white and grey chickens in the yard. Two grey wolfhounds sat panting quietly beside the large ornate entrance doors to the manor, and a white cat with blue eyes sat on a windowsill grooming herself.

As they recovered from their shock and walked forward, the double doors swung open, and from the front hall two figures emerged. For a moment, both parties stared at one another, before Susan ran forward and brought Lucy into a tight hug mixed with relief and concern. "We were so worried, whatever happened?" she asked, pulling away and looking at her sister.

"Well, it's rather a long story," Lucy began, looking around.

"Who are you?" Caspian asked, causing Susan and Lucy to turn back to the group. Caspian was looking curiously at the old man who had come from the mansion with Lucy.

"Caspian, Ed, Susan, this is Coriakin, it's his island," Lucy quickly explained, coming to stand next to the man once more.

"Your Majesties," Coriakin said solemnly, bowing.

"Lu, tell me what happened," Susan said again, looking at her sister intently.

"I, I had been sleeping, when some invisible things carried me off. They wished to have me read a spell to make the invisible visible again. I entered Coriakin's house, and read from the spell book, making everything, it looks like that included animals and Coriakin too, visible once more. Why," Lucy frowned slightly and turned to the magician as the thought suddenly came to her, "Why did you allow them to make themselves invisible?" She asked, looking at him.

"Because at the time, it seemed the best way to protect them; from the evil." Coriakin glanced around, his countenance growing suddenly far more solemn and graver than before. "Come, inside, things here still have ears, but this house has only Aslan's eyes," he requested, turning and walking rapidly back to the mansion, giving the group no alternative but to follow him.

Everyone was quiet as they walked behind the magician. For a short time, they were too engrossed in taking in their surroundings as they walked down different halls and stairs than the ones Lucy had, to get to the library. Coriakin knew what Lucy did not; that there were some in this group, namely Eustace, who were not yet spiritually old enough to ignore the draw of the doors and the worlds beyond. It was Edmund upon whom the answer to Coriakin's words he'd spoken in the courtyard dawned first. Truly, he was not the wisest king for nothing.

"When you said evil, you meant the mist, didn't you?" he asked in a serious tone, as the magician shepherded them into the library.

"I mean what lies behind the mist," Coriakin elaborated slightly, closing the door after Caspian walked past.

Everyone was more awestruck then Lucy had been, upon seeing the magic placing books on their shelves and things moving without seeming being touched. Serene smiled and raised her hand, causing a light shade of green turning to orange to pass over the magic re-shelving the books. Coriakin nodded in respect and smiled slightly at her, acknowledgement of one magic bearing being to another. He began walking toward the wall, where several rolled up parchments were, when he stopped and turned around, looking over the group that had gathered about.

The last three people he had walked past had been the Stars, who had been standing ahead and slightly separate from the rest of the Narnians. He came towards them, and, as he did so, Lucy noticed something she hadn't before. Arran _glowed_. It was odd, like an aura, she supposed. The red color grew stronger when Coriakin approached him. The magician then turned his gaze on Zephyr, who seemed to shine a light green. The Star nodded, as if a silent exchange had gone between himself and the magician, before Coriakin looked at Gavan. The last Star seemed to give off a blue aura.

"I did not know you had Stars among you," the magician murmured, before coming closer to Arran. "How do the Stars fare in the night sky?" he asked.

"All is well, the moon still rises and the sun still sets. Aslan has not yet called us down," the pirate replied, as if it was some form of greeting. He sounded far more formal than he had ever spoken while in their presence.

"My time has not yet come then," Coriakin murmured to himself thoughtfully, before coming away. In a sliver of an instant, Lucy thought she saw a radiant silver aura shine around the magician, as if some great Star had fallen among them, but then it vanished and only Coriakin, the steward of Aslan, was before them.

"Now, before I became lost in the complications of land and sky, I was about to tell you something of great importance, something Aslan has forewarned me of and ordered me to tell you. You search to defeat a mist," Coriakin withdrew from the circle of interested listeners and pulled out a long roll of parchment from the niche of scrolls. He tossed it from his hand, and with the skill of centuries of magic, spread it smoothly across the floor.

"It's quite beautiful," Eustace murmured, walking forward and gazing at the map as it unfolded, the small paintings and drawings around the edges coming to life before their eyes. He looked up and hastily amended, "I mean for a make-believe map of a make-believe world!" He flushed slightly and looked down, realizing how foolish he sounded. Edmund and Lucy merely smiled at one another behind their cousin's back.

"Here is the source of your troubles," Coriakin suddenly spoke drawing their attention, after he had allowed the map time to unfurl. Walking across rolling seas and distant lands, he brought the picture of an island into their view. It was dark, covered in black fog and clouds, an eerie green light emanating from the darkness within. "Dark Island, a place where great evil lurks; it can take _any_ form, it can make your darkest dreams come true, and over time, it has grown _stronger_. It has been left alone, and now turns from corrupting itself, to corrupting all goodness, to steal the light from this world!" He looked at each one of them in turn, intently watching reactions, wondering who had already been claimed, or had overcome.

The magician's gaze betrayed nothing when it rested briefly upon the Just King. He knew at that moment that Edmund had not been tempted yet, his spirit was too strong, and had already been tempted once, long ago by a great power, so he would have to be torn down slowly. Caspian, he could see doubt and uncertainty in his eyes as the king stared down at the island. He was strong-willed, but not nearly as strong as most, something would shake him, and strong wills cannot ward off great malice, only a strong faith could do that. When Coriakin's eyes came to Susan, they softened. Here was a woman not sure of much, but ready to face the world for those she cared about. Still, she would be tempted and waver. Lucy, when he looked at Lucy he felt pain and confusion, and knew that something had happened. But he knew she would overcome.

"You must break its spell," he continued. Suddenly Coriakin turned to Edmund. "That sword you carry, there are six others." He pointed at it, causing Edmund to subconsciously rest his hand on the hilt out of old habit.

"You've seen them?" Edmund spoke, looking at the man with renewed interest after glancing at Serene.

"Yes," the magician replied softly, glancing about. Looking to Serene also, he realized she knew the swords' value, but had not fully told the rest of her party.

"The six Lords," Caspian realized instantly, "did they pass through here?" He asked.

"Indeed," Coriakin answered, turning back slightly to the map before them.

"Where were they headed?" the King asked quickly.

"Where I sent them," once more the magician walked across the map, drawing away the picture of the darkened island and placing a new image before them, of a green and normal island, with thousands of waterfalls, and a soft blue light emanating from it. "To break the spell, you must follow the blue star to Ramandu's Island. There the seven swords must be laid at Aslan's table, only then can their true magical power be released, without the aid of their _true_ _bearers_," Coriakin paused, staring down at the island thoughtfully as something new came to him.

"But beware," he suddenly spoke, startling them. "You are all about to be tested," he said.

"Tested?" Arran asked.

"Until you lay down the seventh sword, evil shall have all-power. It will do everything in this power to make you fall away and cease to trust in one another. Anything to keep the swords from ending its control of these far reaches of the Eastern Ocean." Coriakin turned and gazed about at all the people in his library, waiting for him to speak, to advise them. "Rely on Aslan, be strong in him. Please, don't fall to temptation," he requested, walking across the map, swirling the clouds around Ramandu's Island with the hem of his robe. He stopped in front of those who he felt would need it most. Edmund… Caspian… The Stars… "To defeat the darkness out _there_, you must first defeat the darkness, inside _yourself_."

"You _will_ _be_ tested. All who try are tested," Coriakin murmured as he passed by them and exited the library.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Well? I hope you like this! I was surprisingly pleased with my work. Now, to answer questions I'll start ending to beginning, all right? Good (it's not as if ya'll really have a choice, lol). I changed around a few things from the movie, mainly because I thought them weak and inadequately done. But we're starting from the end, so let's go there. **

**Now I wish they had made Coriakin say "Rely on Aslan, be strong in him" instead of "Be strong, don't fall to temptation". I changed that for stronger effect. I think it's far better (not to praise myself or anything). I also like more "it will do everything in this power to make you fall away and cease to trust one another" versus "it will do everything in its power to tempt you" because yes, it [the green mist] is tempting them, but in reality it's trying to break their faith in **_**one**__**another**_**. Once you lose that trust, it's hard to get it back. They acted that out well in the movie, but forgot to mention that point. **

**Course, you all know (if you've read or heard of my Seven Swords, Seven Lords {7s7l} fanfic about my Guardian of Narnia OCs.) who the "**_**true**__**bearers**_**" of the seven swords are that Coriakin mentions. **

**Ok, in the movie, I always got the idea that when they did that swing shot, so we could see all the actor's faces after Coriakin tells them that they will be tested, that we're supposed to think Coriakin knows each character's situation and possible temptation. Because the actor who plays him, Billie Brown, looks as if he's doing what I wrote out, sort of analyzing each one. So that's what I wrote. **

'The magician's gaze betrayed nothing when it rested briefly upon the Just King. He knew at that moment that Edmund had not been tempted yet, his spirit was too strong, and had already been tempted once, long ago by a great power, so he would have to be torn down slowly. Caspian, he could see doubt and uncertainty in his eyes as the king stared down at the island. He was strong-willed, but not nearly as strong as most, something would shake him, and strong wills cannot ward off great malice, only a strong faith could do that.'

**I like this, because it sort of gives us (me mostly I'm guessing) a picture of Edmund from someone else's view. He's got a stronger faith in Aslan after being tempted by Jadis, and he's better for it (Which was why it really **_**sucked**_** in my opinion when they made **_**him**_** have to be the only one to fall for the gold pool in the film and then act like some sort of phsycotinetic {my brother loves Calvin and Hobbs}). **

**And then I enjoy, for some reason it gives me great personal satisfaction, I DO NOT know **_**why**_**, to write Caspian out the way I did in Coriakin's perspective. That sentence literally sums up how I saw (see?) Caspian as played by Ben Barnes. **_**Literally**_**. Caspian always seemed as if he had this personal agenda, but was also unsure of himself and what he was doing. Then in VOTDT he's better, but seems to have this willpower that separates him from everyone else, before once again getting back to the Caspian from PC, all uncertain and unsure, yet at the same time still having this agenda that he has to run through. 'Find the seven Lords. Sail the ocean. Defeat the mist, etc.' you get the idea. Not that I'm trying to give him flames, (heaven knows **_**I**_** couldn't act!) I'm simply being critical right now.**

**Moving on then! Now for the Stars. Ok, I realized that, for all my work, they didn't really have the full aspect of Stars that grace the Lumean night sky. I also realized that Liliandil glows. So, hence, my Stars shall too. The reason why (I giving excuses {to cover my blunder} as to why they don't glow the entire time see), is because they've been on land (sea) for a long while, and as time goes by, the glow wears off. They'd have to continually come and go between the sky and land to glow consistently. **

**Now; my reason why they all glow different colors:…Gavan explains this in Chapter Twenty-one (sorry, you'll just have to wait. But I think ya'll guess that pretty easily). I'm also going to gloss over why Coriakin reminds Lucy of Arran, Zephyr and Gavan constantly (ya'll also guess that one I'll bet). **

**I really enjoyed writing in the lines from the book. It was incredibly easy to make them fit (I think I've said this before). Most of the middle part, where they talk about the Dufflepuds, and where they eat breakfast are from the book, with my writing and the film added in here and there. The poem for 'That Which Makes the Unseen Seen' is from the film. At one point they give us a glimpse of half the page in the film, so I used the words I could see and supplied my own for the ones I couldn't. It's not the entire incantation, but it serves its purpose. **

**I think I didn't do half bad on Lucy's temptation. I wanted to do the beautiful spell from the book but that would have taken me far too long, and I wasn't fully sure I wanted to take too much from the book. For anyone wondering, the 'he' Coriakin refers to who needs some information is Gandalf (from all those times in The Hobbit (novel version) when Gandalf leaves the company), but that's just a miniscule plotline. Coriakin also refers to the Wood between the Worlds (The pools he has to supervise after 'the accident'; 'the accident' being Digory and Polly getting there and taking all those other people with them). (I thought you might like that too Jenneka!). **

**About the rings, knights, words, and dragons carved across Coriakin's staff: **

**The rings are of course; Digory and Polly's rings (should I say Uncle Andrew's?) the nine rings, the seven rings, the three rings and the One Ring. The knights; King Arthur, Ivanhoe, Robin Hood, the Riders of Rohan (at a friend's request) and etc.. The words; the Deplorable Word, the Elvish writing on the One Ring, the words carved into the Stone Table and the names of Merlin, Gandalf and Morgana, other magicians and wizards etc. The dragons; Smaug, Mezelzaz (of course! he's in **_**my**_** work of fiction, not just for Narnia), Saphira, and all those other dragons I can't remember! **

**Ok, I just love the idea of the Stars falling asleep and then waking up wondering what had happened to them! For some reason I love writing my OCs (is this bad?). I think it's safe to say the titling for this chapter is pretty obvious.**

**One last thing, can you believe this is 100,000+ words?! I'm so excited, this is the longest piece of writing I've ever worked on! Ya'll are witnessing an "on again/off again" writer become one of endurance (I never used to be good at finishing any of my works, published FFN and private manuscripts both). **

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**Thank you so much, and I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well! And you're totally right about the doors, I could have gone on forever (I had to edit about 2000+ words on the doors because it was simply far too long). Sorry about the grammar mistake, as I've said, first person and third person are a bit difficult for me to write, I get confused a _lot._ But I'm working on it, and that's the main thing I guess. I must say, while we're on this subject, that you have helped me so much on grammar punctuation and all that this past year, I have really progressed as a writer because of your helpful tips and advice, I could not have written (or continued) this quintet without your help, thank you!**

* * *

**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...} Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note.**

**Happy reading, **

**W.H. 1492**


	21. Dare We Go Any Farther?

**Chapter Twenty-one: Dare We Go Any Farther?**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Lucy gazed thoughtfully at the blue star that shone above Ramandu's Island, and wondered if they might even get there. So little was sure, but she had a feeling though, that like Peter would have, Caspian would go on, saying they must stop this coming darkness which was trying to take over Lumea. She glanced at Edmund, wondering what he was thinking. But he was staring down at his sword hilt, absently running his thumb over the gold and the emeralds on it. Without him having to speak, she knew he would agree to going on, and that currently he was trying to think of how to tell everyone else. She'd seen him like this enough in the Golden Age to know that.

Serene wore an unreadable expression, she was watching Edmund too, but Lucy knew she'd follow him wherever he went. Susan was looking off absently, stroking Rilian's hair, letting the little boy rest a while longer, his head tucked under her chin. Lucy wondered what she's do. The silence stayed over the room for several more seconds, before Caspian spoke, and nearly at the same time, Edmund voiced his opinion.

"I am going on, I must," Caspian began.

"I agree, I do not know what everyone else thinks, but I believe that at least _I_ have to go on. Aslan brought us back for a reason, and this could very well be it," Edmund declared, looking at Lucy.

"But we do not know where this island even is, nor if the Lords even made it there. What if we never find the six missing swords?" Susan said cautiously, and perhaps placing a bit of her logical sense behind it as well.

"Susan, this is not some adventure for us, this is for Narnia, for all our subjects, for Lumea. If we do not do this, perhaps nothing will come from this place in our time, but what of Rilian's? We do not know what will happen then. If _we_ can do this, then we should not leave it for our son to do, it could become harder to accomplish this task later," Caspian reasoned gently.

"He's right you know, we may not be Stars of wisdom or knowledge, but this is something we know must be done," Arran spoke quietly, him and his brothers looking at the Narnians while they waited for their decision. For the first time, they seemed a people truly of their own, from the world of the skies above Lumea.

"I will go wherever you wish, Sire. I have no part in this argument," Drinian dismissed himself, stepping back when Caspian asked for his opinion.

"Susan, come with us, this is Narnia, Aslan will help, we don't have to be alone," Lucy encouraged with a hesitant smile in her sister's direction.

"Very well, I suppose we all go on then," Susan replied, smiling back at her sister, looking around the room.

"You have decided then?" Coriakin re-entered the library, looking around curiously, even though he knew the answer.

"Yes, we will do as you have asked us. We will try to stop this mist, or, whatever lies behind it," Caspian replied.

"Then you shall need these," the magician pulled three scrolls from inside his robe, leaving a few – Eustace for one – wondering how he managed it. He threw them out as he had the large living map; they seemed smaller copies of that one. "For you, Lord Drinian," Coriakin murmured, motioning to the map on his left. "Speak all that you have seen, and it shall appear. If you did not name it, or think of several names, it will go with the one _it_ prefers. What you cannot complete it will finish." He walked over to the one on his right. "King Caspian, this one is yours, for there may be a time when your captain is away, and you are in need of one of your own. The same rules that apply to Lord Drinian's map apply to yours," Coriakin moved his hand and the maps once again became scrolls, which Caspian and Drinian each took.

"This one, however, is for myself, and I would like all three maps to be marked at once, later of course, when we have the time. Now, for lunch, I am sure there are many of you who are just as hungry as I," he smiled, bowing slightly.

"I'm starving; we've had nothing to eat besides that horrid ship's fare! I for one would like some _real_ food," Eustace exclaimed, walking forward.

"I suppose they all arrive faulted, do they not? At least the good of it is one never enters Narnia alone," Coriakin murmured, glancing heavenward as he turned and walked from the library, motioning for them to follow.

Lucy and Edmund shared glances, startled to realize that they had never – except for the first time each had entered the wardrobe – come into this world alone. They had always had company. And Edmund and Lucy had known more about Narnia than any of their traveling companions had, excluding the last time when they'd come to help Caspian. This thought surprised them, and made them thoughtful as they followed after Coriakin.

This time, the man led them past all the doors, keeping careful watch that no one tried to enter any of them. He allowed Lucy to lead the party to the next door they would have to enter, telling them to wait for him there. He turned to make sure every person had come through the hall, and was startled to see Eustace standing in front of the door that led to Mindel Eras. He regained his composure, and walked back down to the boy, who was staring at the carvings intently.

"It is lovely, is it not," he whispered.

Eustace turned and looked at him quickly. "I was simply admiring the carvings," he said hurriedly, rather nervous because of the mysterious air that seemed to hang about the magician.

"Of course you were," Coriakin replied in an absent tone, motioning with his hand for Eustace to walk forward. He led the boy back to the door the others had gone through and closed it behind the curious boy quietly. But after the magician returned to the door that they'd left, Eustace poked his head out into the hall. All he saw was a brief flash of light as the door was opened, and smelled a musty sort of smell, before the door closed and the hallway was empty, the magician not in sight. Shrugging, Eustace closed the door and turned down the hall, entering the door that had just closed to join the others.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Eustace looked around the room; it was quite large, going against the outward structure of the mansion. It was like a Victorian garden observatory, with perhaps thousands of hanging plants, trailing vines and letting their wonderful scents perfume the air. Eustace noticed several flowers of an English variety, and wondered how the magician had managed to get them here. When he thought of the magician, he wondered if he should tell the others that he'd vanished through a door, looking like he would be going away for a long time. As he was pondering the peculiarity of the man's actions, and wondering just how to tell everyone without seeming too involved or concerned, the doors to the room opened and Coriakin walked in, staff and all.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting, but I had to attend to business. Now that I have finished, perhaps I might serve you. Lucy knows how this comes about," here he paused to smile at Lucy. "Now, I think I have a good grasp on what most of you want, so, please be seated!" With a flourish, as if he was a sower throwing seed, he motioned, and instantly food and a linen tablecloth covered the table. Everyone except Lucy and Arran took a step back. The Star grinned slightly at the girl, before walking closer to the table.

"Come, eat, please," Coriakin insisted, taking a chair himself. Slowly the others joined him at the table.

Each began to eat, surprised that they all received what they had been thinking of since the rationing and short water began. After a short silence, everyone became comfortable, and began talking with one another, what they had learnt in the library momentarily forgotten in that room.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

And that was the way it went, after lunch Coriakin, Drinian and Caspian went and talked over the maps that Coriakin had given them, and then asked if there was anything he might tell them further of the Eastern Ocean. He told them; sadly, there was nothing more he could offer. But, when they turned away, he seemed rueful, looking skyward though, his expression quickly vanished and he followed after them. Surprisingly, everyone did not worry over a great many things on this Island, like they had in Narrowhaven.

Coriakin, assisted by Serene, mended the mast and other damages with their magic. He gave supplies and things they could truly use on ship-board. He talked with Reepicheep over something unknown to the others, and when asked, the Mouse would only smile and shake his head, denying the particulars of the conversation. The magician also told Lucy that she could try to change the Duffers' opinion about themselves; but, try as she might, with Edmund and Susan also helping, she could not. They did somehow manage to get them to change their name, however.

It came about because of all the Narnians calling them 'Monopods' instead of Duffers. All sorts of odd names were thrown around by the bouncing individuals, but before long they confused these names with their old title of Duffers. But all was not lost even then, for they managed to confuse this name with monopod and before long, all agreed on the title of 'Dufflepuds'; and that is probably what they will be called for centuries. As evening drew on, Coriakin once again had them all for dinner, and then put them up in a few of his many rooms.

As they had been taken to these rooms, he mentioned in passing that he could walk down these halls and sometimes there was a new door, causing Eustace to look around, secretly hoping that something of the sort might happen and he could get to see it. All the Narnians slept uneventfully, as they had on the shores. But the Stars stayed up and talked with Coriakin, who did not seem to need sleep either.

At ten the next morning, after a breakfast at Coriakin's table, they sailed from his cove and back toward the Ocean. The parting was perhaps slightly bittersweet, with the Dufflepuds all shouting goodbyes and standing around the magician as if he was their friend, though Lucy was sure another rift would come up between them from the Dufflepuds' stupidity. The island was a welcoming green, with well-tended hills and trees rolling away into the morning fog-covered distance. Ever after, sailors would tell stories of the magical island somewhere in the vast Eastern Ocean, near the place where the water touched the sky.

And the island was called 'Coriakin's Island', or 'Land of the Dufflepuds', where little men bounced as high as kangaroos and a magician went round being constantly misunderstood by them, who was keeper of a beautiful enchanted manor for the Great Lion of the sky, Aslan himself.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Everyone was almost a bit reluctant to leave, more so than they had been on the Lone Islands. But they knew they had to go on, and no one wanted it to be said of them that they had forsaken the quest that Aslan, through Coriakin, had told them to go on, to stay on an island where nothing ever happened – in a good way of course. Eustace was careful to stay out of everyone's way, though he was still just as irritable if talked to by Susan or Caspian. The days on shipboard were calmer now; things back to the way they had been when Caspian and Susan had first sailed from Narnia.

Everyone was nervous of course, as one usually is when you have been warned about tests and dark powers brewing. I always think people behave better if they don't know what is going to happen to them, that way they aren't on such an edge. Edges get messy.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy was sitting on the rear deck, drawing some of what she remembered from Coriakin's Island on a sketch tablet Susan had given her from the chart room, the older woman mentioning as she had given it to her, that Caspian and Drinian wouldn't really be using it since they had the magical maps from the magician. Gavan was leaning against some rope and barrels, sharpening his sword for lack of anything better to do. Reep was there and gone continually, talking to Lucy, sometimes to Gavan and then recalling something important he would dash away to go tell someone else.

"Back there, on Coriakin's Island, why did you and your brothers glow, or, shine, or… well, why?" Lucy asked, not pausing from her drawing.

"We're Stars," Gavan said simply, sliding the sharpener along his blade quickly, creating a rasping sound.

"I know that, but, I don't understand," Lucy tried again.

"In your world, do stars shine different colors, or are they all just white?" he asked, glancing up at her briefly.

"No, some are blue, some are orange, red, green, and I'm sure there're other colors too," Lucy acknowledged.

"There, an excellent example!" Gavan exclaimed energetically.

"What? Oh, wait, you mean…?" Lucy finally caught on.

"Yes, we're Stars, and all stars in the sky shine different colors, well, so do we. Arran – fittingly if I might say – shines red, Zephyr green, and well, I shine blue. So now you know the reason Stars shine. If we had just come from the sky, Zephyr, Arran and I would all glow, now though, we only do that around– around certain people," Gavan finished.

"Thank you for telling me, I appreciate it," Lucy smiled, before returning to her drawing. Gavan went back what he had been doing as well. After another few minutes passed however, she looked up again.

"Do you miss anything – ever?" she asked, tucking a strand of her hair over her ear when the wind blew it across her face.

Gavan thought about it for some time, head cocked, before answering. "Yes, I miss being a normal sixteen year old sometimes. I wasn't always a 'star' in that sense, neither were my brothers and sister. Of course, we aged slowly, but still, I remember being normal, more mortal. That's something that is a problem for my siblings and me; we are constantly fighting star and mortal emotions alike."

"How so?" Lucy asked.

"Well, one example would be yesterday, in Coriakin's library. We did not stand beside you; we were with you, but not. I'm sure you noticed the difference. Our, if you will," Gavan laughed slightly, "_indifference_ toward your problems. Stars like to watch things play out, not be a part of them, while our more mortal side wants to offer our opinions, as Arran did." Gavan shrugged.

"Hmm, I was only wondering, thank you, again," she smiled. Gavan nodded with a grin before bending back over the weapon.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Caspian, why are you doing this?" Susan asked, stepping away from the cabin window to face him. The sunlight bounced off the waves as if they were jewels and dance across the ceiling in beams of light. Susan had put Rilian down for a nap and had come here after to think, it really was the quietest place onboard for that sort of work. Not long after she had been there, Caspian entered, she didn't know why, but assumed it was for something off the shelves or desks. He paused and glanced up at her after she voiced the question she had been pondering since the night before.

"Why do you ask that?" He replied, slowly straightening as she walked closer.

"You know why," she answered, waiting for his response.

"I'm not sure I understand, Susan. Remember we talked about this in Coriakin's library, you know why we're going on," he said, slightly confused. The confusion showed through his tone as well.

"I have lived with you for four years, and if you agree to something, it's usually because there's a deeper reason than simply 'going on'." Susan crossed her arms and looked up at him, raising one eyebrow.

"Perhaps I don't know why I want to continue, except for the sake of 'going on' as you put it," Caspian answered, annoyance and aggravation seeping into his tone.

"This would be the first time," Susan replied, her own aggravation rising. He didn't have to act as if she was making him admit to murder or some other crime; she only wanted to know his true reasons!

"Well, there is always a first for everyone," he retorted, walking to the desk on the left.

"We're talking; you're not going to continue as if we haven't?" She asked, as he pulled the papers from the drawer and started going through them.

"You hadn't finished? Forgive me; I thought we were through arguing over my lack of planning ahead. But if you're not, I'd rather we moved on to something else," he answered sarcastically.

"'Arguing'? I thought I was simply asking what your real reason for going on was. But if it puts you out, go about your business, which is apparently far more important than your wife and her simple question!" Susan returned.

"I never said you weren't important! But if that's what is causing you to act this way, what can I do about it? I spend all day dealing with complications and leading these men, what's left I spend talking or dealing with your siblings and cousin, who I might add, has given me a great deal of grief these past days, at night I sleep, if your cousin, _again_, doesn't plot something new for me to get him out of," Caspian said, his voice rising. The tension from the past several days was making him lash out far more than he would have under normal circumstances.

"I'm not some dog or horse that constantly needs your attention; in fact, I could do very fine _without_ it! I was merely thinking that as your _wife_ you would tell me your real reasons for going on; that's all, but you've turned it into a nightmare! I can barely ask you anything anymore, it's as if you don't trust me," Susan replied, her anger leaving the fight, replaced by confusion and hurt.

"I never said I did not trust you! You're twisting this into a different picture, just because I don't tell you the reasons or backing behind my choices, you act as if I keep everything from you, that really isn't fair," he returned, his temper still high.

"There, you _do_ have a reason, which is all I wanted, if it is too personal, I mustn't hear it, I didn't _ask_ to! I simply wanted to know if you _had_ one!" Susan replied, trying to keep her injured feelings from entering the argument.

"Now you know. Are you finished?" he asked after a pause, the quiet between them tense.

"You'll be finished whether or not I want to keep talking, so just go do whatever it was you were doing!" she shouted, her voice catching, as she pointed toward the door. He started to walk past her to leave, but turned and looked down at her, instantly regretting what had gone on between them. "Just go," she murmured, not looking at him. But however much he wanted to mend the rift he'd caused, he didn't know how, so he left.

Susan walked back towards the windows and stared down at their wake. There were times like these when she wished she had her mother there to ask things of. She brushed her tears away, laughing through them at her own patheticness. A marriage is not without its rough patches, she reasoned. Her parents had argued, but they'd come out of it all right in the end, she tried to console herself. Susan couldn't help feel a sense of foreboding, however, that this was not the last time they'd argue on this journey.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Edmund leaned against the railing, enjoying the refreshing breeze from the west. Every so often, however, he would glance down at the sword at his side, wondering as to its significance in this whole endeavor. He knew that they would have to lay it at Aslan's table, but he wondered why they couldn't just place any set of seven swords upon it. He knew that the swords were unique; his blade was the only one on the whole ship that matched Rhindon's quality. He also wondered as to the Guardians, and what they had been like. Would he and his siblings have liked them? Would they have been pleased with their work?

"All these questions and for the first time, no one to really answer them," he muttered. It was a pity so much of the Narnian writings from the Dark Age had been lost, he thought, turning to stare out across the ocean. If it hadn't, then perhaps he could learn more about these seven guardians and the magical powers they possessed through their blades. As he mused on the subject, Caspian came up on his left. The King leaned his arms against the rail, staring down at the water, before speaking.

"Do you have a moment, or are you thinking of something?" he asked, glancing across at Edmund.

The Just King shook his head with a smile. "Nothing of grave importance, just questions I usually have when I return here," he explained.

"Might I ask you something then?" Caspian queried.

"Of course, but, if Peter were here to tell you, he'd say it's not certain you'd get my answer." Edmund smiled fondly.

"I answer or not, as long as I have someone to talk to, it would be a great ease of burdens," Caspian replied.

"Well then, let's hear your problem," Edmund coaxed, waiting expectantly, head cocked in interest.

"I don't know if it's so much a problem, its more confusion than anything else. It's about Susan." Caspian paused and glanced at Edmund, wondering how he would react to that.

"What? I am not Peter. I don't become alarmingly offended if anything is said against my siblings, unless it's treasonous. Besides that, you're her husband, not some stranger from a ball or gala suddenly asking me this. I'll hear you out without ruling judgment, so please continue." Edmund watched Caspian intently, wondering.

"We had an argument. She wanted to know my true reasons behind continuing this voyage. I lost my temper and I shouldn't have, she only wanted to know. But, what she asked, I've been thinking it over in my mind, and I realize I couldn't give her an answer, and that's what frustrated me. I don't know what my reasons are for doing what I say I must. And I said things I shouldn't have to her," Caspian finished, frowning as he spoke, recalling the quarrel.

Edmund was silent, and as Caspian slowly straightened, thinking Edmund was not going to respond as he had said he might, Edmund spoke; "Remember when you first met us? Peter very nearly killed you and you him," Edmund smiled and looked down, before glancing at Caspian.

"Yes, I remember, I felt incredibly stupid and impetuous because I lashed out instead of asking who he was first," Caspian replied.

"Peter said something toward you that was uncharacteristic of him. He ridiculed you, and also acted superior toward you. That's his way of hiding his pain, but that's beside the point. The point is, the night of the raid, when things went wrong, Susan asked him what his reasons were for doing what he was doing, recall?" Edmund's eyebrows rose as he watched Caspian, giving the man time to respond.

"Yes," Caspian replied slowly.

"He could not give an answer. When he told me about it, not long before he challenged Miraz, he said that the reason he didn't answer her was because he didn't know _why_ he did what he did. He simply had no answer to give Susan. He sounded like you did just now, telling me you don't know what to tell her. But, I know, I should say knew, because in my early years as king, I did things that had no reason. I was trying to live up to a standard – my siblings' standard – I wanted to be everything they wished I would be. I was also trying to prove to myself that Jadis no longer had hold of me. I was trying to prove things to myself and to everyone around me. Just as Peter was, just as you are now; perhaps yours is deeper than that, but time will tell," Edmund answered.

Caspian met his eyes, slightly surprised, but mostly grateful. "That is a reasonable answer, one I wish I had given her instead of angry words. Thank you Edmund, that was greatly helpful," Caspian said, resting his hand on the young man's shoulder before walking off.

"There are times like these when I wish my reputation and my title had not carried across three ages," Edmund murmured thoughtfully. He was good for more than swordsmanship lessons and answers to questions, but it seemed that no one ever realized that.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Reepicheep stared fondly out into the wide blue ocean as the sunlight faded behind them. He had always preferred the ocean over land. You met the most extraordinary people on ship-board. He mused over what Coriakin had told him, about Ramandu's Island. He hoped nothing would come of what the magician had told him, but he knew from long experience that real magicians are more often than not, correct about everything they say.

"Besides the color of your feather, and the grey in your fur, you have not changed my friend." Reep turned around slightly as Arran climbed up the steps leading to the dragon's head figurehead.

"I thought that with all your years and all your vast knowledge to remember, you had forgotten me, after all, it was almost twenty years ago that Mezelzaz attacked Midalin," Reep replied quietly as the Star leaned against the smooth painted wood of the figurehead.

"A Star never forgets," Arran murmured, crossing his arms.

"Now you just sound like Daxworthy the elephant," Reep remarked with a reminiscent laugh.

Arran chuckled, sighing; "Well, at least I haven't ever crushed sixteen pounds of gold and silver into an unrecognizable mass, you have to admit."

"That was Edith's mistake; she should never have let him consume all that papaya juice at one sitting. But dryads are not always the most intelligent of the lot," Reep replied.

"Hmm," Arran agreed.

"You know you're toying with fire, being on this vessel with King Caspian. That's dangerous Arran, especially considering," Reep commented after a pause in the conversation.

"I have always enjoyed playing with fire. You of all people should know that well. It doesn't bother me in the slightest how close I come to the blaze," Arran returned calmly, but Reep detected the cynicism in the pirate's voice, and knew that trouble was brewing.

"I owe you an apology for going into a rage over _The_ _Sea_ _Serpent_, considering that I once knew both sides of the coin myself, and do indeed relish a good raid to this day," Reep acknowledged, deciding that the best tactic would be to change the subject of conversation.

"Think of it as payment for services rendered, after all, it was me who double-crossed you to help Winkworth," Arran reasoned.

"I told you that ferrets are not ones to associate oneself with when weighing smuggling and piracy. But it was entirely my fault about Mezelzaz. If I hadn't been so stupid, Mezelzaz would still be sleeping and Midalin would be here, not burnt to the ground."

"Midalin would have perished anyway, what with the rise of Calormene vessels and shipping control after Narnia's collapse and ocean-going decline. The Black Dragon simply sped up the process," Arran finished, slight sarcasm lacing his tone.

"I ask forgiveness from that," Reep requested, looking slightly sheepish.

"Of course you know you have it, I forgave you the moment I learned you had left my crew. I should like us to always be friends, for as long as either of us lives on Lumea," Arran remarked, looking down at the Mouse with a friendly smile.

"Of course," Reep replied, resting his paw on his hilt. "Now, how many of these stars do you know, and can you tell me their names?"

* * *

**A/N: _WOW,_ 60 reviews! I am so pumped out! (as Emmett says) **

**Oh I know; a filler chapter. But this is trying to explain things as they slowly get closer to the climax, all the betrayals and mistrusts that start happening as things get brought to a head. Starting from the end and going to the beginning again:**

**I haven't done much of Reepicheep throughout this story, and I figured that I needed to start making him a part of the bigger picture, so I'm working on it. I also know that he and Arran have a rather unexplained past that needs going into. This is part of it, which (once I go back to Before The Mast) will eventually be explained. In short, Mezelzaz destroyed a port in the Marea de Nord, (refer to my profile if you don't understand, Marea de Nord is in there **_**somewhere**_**) Midalin being a small pirate and smuggler's island where they could trade and sell stolen goods on the black market. I'm also building for the beach scene with dragon-Eustace and Reep. **

**I'm also trying to get ya'll to really like Arran so you can be really disappointed with him in the near future. **

**Moving on; I always felt horrible for Peter in the Prince Caspian film. Everyone's like: 'he's so bad, he's so mean' or 'Disney did a horrible job, Peter wasn't like that in the book at all'. I always thought that, yes, Peter was not like his book self, but that's all right. I liked what Disney was trying to do with his character. They made Peter more real, to my way of thinking. Here is this boy, not a man, but he was, who suddenly returns to this world he has been longing for, to his kingdom he loves to rule, and everything he ever knew has been destroyed, blown away by time and turned upside down by the greed of men. **

**He realizes he will not return to being an adult, or the king of his Narnian past, and that he will have to rebuild from the ground up. And that hurts him, hurts him a lot. He is then confronted by the fact that life for Narnians in Narnia is once again horrible, and this time none of the Narnians really want much to do with him, unlike before when they eagerly accepted him and his siblings as their rulers. He has to prove, not only to himself, but also to Narnians like Trumpkin and Nikabrik, that he is just as strong as the king from the Golden Age, just as good a leader. He also has to prove to himself that he can do everything the same as before. **

**He made the war to free the Narnians his personal crusade. He disliked, well I could also say hated, Caspian, because they were both very similar. Caspian never had a father, and was constantly having to prove himself to Miraz that he was good enough (remember; Miraz was going to let him be king, until Pruniprismia had a son). So the war to help the Narnians was also **_**Caspian's**_** personal crusade. **

**Caspian's to prove to **_**Miraz**_** that he was good enough, and revenge for his father's death; Peter's to prove to **_**himself**_** that he was good enough, and to show the Narnians that he could still lead. That's the way I always saw their dislike of one another, because both had something they had to get out of the war, and how similar their characters were. **

**Now, the argument: First of all, I must say (not to make you guys think I'm really weird or anything), I truly **_**loved**_** writing that piece. I have never written arguments well, but I think this one was pretty realistic. I liked writing this to get the point across that everyone has faults, and that everything isn't sunshine and flowers in Caspian and Susan's relationship. I want to keep their relationship as real-life as possible (which I think I have failed at up to this point). **

**I also think I liked writing it because I've always seen Caspian as having a short temper and Susan as being quick to get on the defensive. I think that yes, they do make an okay couple, but they could also argue very well. I mean, that's the way – if you want it straight movie canon – their relationship could not have worked, they're both opinionated, and they'll both fight for their opinions. As I said, Caspian has a short temper and Susan usually goes on the defensive in any argument. Example:**

"Oh, so you knew this would happen?"

"I didn't know _what_ would happen, which was why we should have left while we still could!"

**She's constantly defending her place, or her reasons. Same as in this argument; **"I'm not some dog or horse that constantly needs your attention; in fact, I could do very fine without it! I was merely thinking that as your wife you would tell me your real reasons for going on; that's all, but you've turned it into a nightmare! I can barely ask you anything anymore, it's as if you don't trust me." **She's defending her side, stating that she would be just fine without him, but she only wanted to know something. Just some of the things I find interesting. **

**Mindel Eras is, never mind, you guys guess what Mindel Eras is. **

**The name for this chapter is basically because of all the goings-on in it. Dare they go any farther in whatever they're doing? It's starting to leave everyone a bit uneasy. **

**Well, I think that's all.**

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**Ok, I know I sort of left Eustace hanging in the balance, but, I prefer to tell his experiences from his POV since he isn't a full-on Narnian believer yet (Notice I say yet, lol). Eustace shall return in all his glory to whine and complain, and yes, Edmund did have a rage over it (as did Arran, Zephyr, Drinian, Caspian, etc.) so you will hear Eustace's indignance, to be sure! **

**I shall remember your advice on the semicolon! I was always confused about that, to be sure... I also saw your review on 7s7l, and yes, Rezef will largely be my Dad's character, my uncle's character, and my own attitude/character (no he is not a Mary-sue or Mary-Jane, or whatever those are called when the author inserters herself/himself). **

**I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I hoped you enjoyed this, short as it was. **

* * *

**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...} Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note.**

**Happy reading, **

**W.H. 1492**


	22. Are We Going Mad

**Chapter Twenty-two: Are We Going Mad **

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Whatever Date it is:

_Diary, you will not believe the horrid adventures I've suffered through these past days. First, we were, as I have previously written, in a horrid storm, and then we washed up on some island's shores, where this doddering old man lives, he doesn't possess a razor, and dawdles about in a dressing gown, and I thought my cousins and the riffraff they collect were bad enough! So we took the advice (well I should say __Caspian__ and __Edmund __did, the fools) of this senile old coot, and now were being tossed about like pancakes in this tub, and lost in yet __**another**__ tempest. Twelve days, and not the slightest sign of land, the only consolation through all this is, however, everyone is finally as miserable as I am._

_Bu I hate that rat. He's one of those annoying, glass-is-always-half-full types, you know, the ones going about as if we're not all doomed to death and that we shouldn't turn back because there would be no honor in running away from a little danger like a dog with its tail down between its legs. At least, that's what he was going on about yesterday in the great-cabin. If only someone (a wave preferably, especially in this weather) would accidently knock him overboard, or provide me with some rope. I'm getting close enough to silencing his blather once and for all!_

_I also noticed something a bit more interesting than talking rats and ocean-going storms. Caspian and his wife (the one everyone __**continues**__ to call my cousin) seem to be at odds. I mean, it's not something that everyone notices, but, well, I don't have all that much to do – Drinian says I'm a nuisance and Edmund says that landsmen are not of much use on deck, as if __**he**__ were any different – so I can observe everyone around me a bit better than if I were busy. I assume they've gotten in a row over something. Most likely marital troubles; Alberta always says that when people get married too young, three quarters of couples end up not know why they married, except that they thought one another interesting. _

_Back to that island, however. When we were there Lucy somehow managed to get kidnapped by God-Knows-What, so early in the morning everyone found her missing and ran off to go find her. But they left me on the beach! So there I was, wandering around, with no hope of ever finding them. Thank heavens they sent someone back for me, or I think I would be dead right now. My reluctant rescuer was muttering under his breath as we rejoined the rest of the party. If he had been muttering in Narnian, I don't think I should be so steamed under the collar about his words, because then they wouldn't have bothered me. But since he was muttering plain English, I heard every word! _

_He was going on about how wonderful it would be if Queen Susan (Caspian's wife) would just let King Edmund (that's what they call cousin) have his way and leave me behind, and then we should all be much better off! The way I understand it, is that Edmund had some sort of argument with Susan about sending someone to go get me, and that he (along with that horrid pirate Arran and his brother Zephyr) were against bringing me along with them, and then I heard (__**overheard**__ Lucy talking with Serene really) that Caspian also tried to convince her to leave me for Aslan (some godlike being in this world, apparently) to deal with. _

_Of course, those weren't their exact words, but you get the general idea. Apparently Susan stood up for me, turning it into a large row, with all the crew and Captain Drinian becoming involved. I'm rather pleased that cousin and Caspian's wife defended me, but then, I shouldn't wonder that they are trying to get on my side only to keep me from mentioning anything to Alberta. Well, I'm going to see if there isn't something decent to eat up there. What with this rain and all, we really haven't eaten well. _

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

**(Early the morning Lucy made everything visible, before her friends and family found her, however)**

Not long after the others dashed off in search of Lucy, Eustace awoke. He sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before looking around curiously. _"Where in the bloody blazes am – Oh yes, __**right**__." _Eustace frowned as he remembered, as he had had to do every morning since he'd arrived in Narnia. He looked up in time to watch the sun rise slowly over the waves. Then, as he became more alert, he realized that it was awfully quiet around him.

He looked to his right and realized that no one was there, the beach was deserted. He was _utterly_ _alone_; in this dangerous fantasy world with all sorts of weird, wild things that might possibly _eat_ _him_. Eustace swallowed sharply, for the first time realizing just how invaluable and useful it was to have people like Caspian, Edmund, Susan, Lucy, and the Stars who knew all about this bizarre land and the ocean surrounding it.

"_Perhaps a reassessment of my situation needs to be undergone," _he thought standing. _"I wonder why they left me. Probably hoping to get rid of me, eh?" _he surmised in annoyance.

"What are you looking at?" Eustace scowled at a large white crane when it stopped, wading through the shallow water near the shore, and eyed him speculatively with a beady, bright blue eye. The bird uttered a throaty screech before flying off. "Lucky it didn't try and peck my eyes out," Eustace muttered, walking away from the shore and into the trees and grass.

"Now, where would I go if I were those idiots?" he said to himself, pausing and looking around him once more.

**~o0o~**

It was Susan who noticed Eustace's absence, well, more like the lack of his irritable adjectives on why they were doing what they were doing. "Edmund, Eustace isn't with us," she called out to her brother, who was talking with Drinian and Caspian ahead of the party, trying to guess where Lucy might have gone, or where someone might have taken her.

"Great, he's gone. Aslan'll keep the little scumsucker out of trouble," Arran said cheerfully, making pretenses on walking forward. Gavan frowned at his brother warningly and grabbed his sleeve to keep him from moving. "_What?" _Arran looked at him and shrugged.

"Why? Does he enjoy making my life more taxing than it is?" Caspian muttered under his breath, careful to keep his wife from hearing. Edmund grinned slightly; he had been close enough to hear. "Yes, he does have that effect," he replied.

"What do you wish I do darling? Find your cousin, or find your sister? Which first, Aslan knows I won't be able to do both at once," Caspian said to Susan, his arms outstretched slightly as he asked.

"Don't do anything! He's gone, we're free, let's keep it as such! Pretend he never existed, as I said, Aslan'll take fine care of the, hmm, er, lad," Arran said loudly, struggling against calling the missing boy a less-than-admirable name. Gavan elbowed the pirate in the ribs sharply to get him to stop leaning over his shoulder. Arran narrowed his eyes comically at his youngest brother before looking hopefully back at Caspian.

"Just send someone back for him, is it that hard?" Susan said, looking from her husband to her brother.

"It's his fault he didn't wake when we did! Why should we send someone back for him, it's not as if he'll get lost? Besides, knowing Eustace, he'll probably stand there screaming for someone the better part of the day. Let him learn what not being a light sleeper means, he should be fine," Edmund argued, dead set against sending someone back for the boy, or waiting around for a sailor to return with him.

"See, that's exactly what I think!" Arran agreed quickly.

"You'd say that to anyone as long as it rid you of a discomfort," Gavan contradicted, looking at his sibling with great distaste.

"Anything works," Arran admitted, splaying his fingers in a 'so?' gesture. "And you know you can't stand him either," he added, looking knowingly at his brother. Gavan didn't reply.

"Edmund, be reasonable. You know that if you were in a better mind about Eustace, you'd see that it would be the best thing to go get him before going on," Susan pointed out sensibly.

"Eustace has been a thorn in my side since Mother and Father left Peter, Lucy, and I in Cambridge! I admit it; I'm glad he's gone, in fact, I want nothing more to do with him, and I'd sooner never see him again than stand here waiting for someone to bring him back! He can sit there on the beach and think about the misery he's caused all of us these past months," Edmund said strongly, clearly bent on leaving his cousin where he was.

"And I suppose you'd say the same were it anyone else?" Susan replied, raising an eyebrow at her brother. Waiting for a reply, she absently stroked Rilian's back, wondering how long the little boy would sleep before this racket woke him.

"That's…" Edmund took a slow breath. "That's entirely different, anyone else is not Eustace, and since they are not in this situation, we couldn't say for certain exactly how they would react," Edmund pointed out, his voice low with the effort to control his anger.

"I really must say, as greatly as I know it's wrong to leave someone behind, I agree with Edmund. Eustace has been the most bothersome thing on this entire voyage. And an hour without his endless mutterings would do me some good," Zephyr said, nodding at Edmund in agreement. There was a low sound of concurrence from the crew as well.

"Susan, the boy has been nothing but trouble for us, you know that. So why are you pushing this?" Caspian asked, tired of arguing and knowing they must resolve this and find Lucy quickly.

"Because I know how his mother would feel if she were here," Susan replied.

Arran gave a low, drawn-out moan. "I hate mothers, they're so, so…" he trailed off when Susan turned and looked at him pointedly, her expression daring him to continue. He smiled nervously and straightened, silent.

"Fine, then we send someone to go and get the boy; Rynelf?" Caspian called. He hated giving anyone the task of finding the loud complainer, but someone had to go.

"Yes, Sire," the Narnian bowed, before turning and walking off, muttering under his breath about age and idiot limits for voyages into the unknown.

"I cannot believe we're doing this!" Edmund scowled, looking at his sister in aggravation. "Would you like to join the growing group?" Arran suggested glumly, motioning at a space next to him.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Even for all Eustace's annoying habits, he was right about Susan and Caspian, they were keeping each other's distance. But because of the storm and the other matters that happened, they put their differences on a shelf until the storm abated. But it was by far, not resolved.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Caspian and Edmund slammed the cabin door behind them when they entered, trying to keep most of the rain out. Edmund blinked the raindrops from his eyes, running his fingers through his hair to rid himself of the extra water.

"I never understood how you manage to keep your hair cut in such a fashion," Caspian stated, glancing at the young man while twisting his shoulder length black hair to remove the excess water.

Edmund looked at Caspian, grinning at the hint of envy in the king's eyes. "Well, we don't use shears or razors to cut ours like you do here, it doesn't hurt to cut hair in England, I remember Peter having to hunt me down and practically tie me up to cut my hair when we ruled Narnia; God did that hurt." Edmund grimaced at the memory.

"I end up looking like a wet horse next to you," Caspian commented, reaching for a dry shirt.

Edmund laughed. "Well, I can't blame Queen Helen or King Frank for forgetting to bring scissors." Edmund shrugged on a dry shirt as well.

"Yes, I suppose so," Caspian said dryly. A smile – Edmund didn't know if it meant he was amused or thinking of something else – coming to his face.

"How far do you think we've come?" Edmund asked, moving over to the map pinned down by daggers on the table in the center of the room. Caspian turned from reading the papers on a side desk to face Edmund.

"I couldn't tell you, Drinian might be able to," he said distractedly, looking down at the parchment sheets once more.

"What is it?" Edmund asked as he poured the water from his boots, remembering his last time in Narnia; Caspian always got this way when something bothered him.

"Twelve days ago, these were more important than listening to Susan," he replied, a faraway look coming into his eyes. Edmund nodded, taking a breath as he remembered what Caspian had told him.

"You're still having problems over that?" he asked, reaching for a collection of matches to light one of the lanterns hanging from the ceiling.

"Yes," Caspian said, smiling at the patheticness of their argument, and his stupidity. "I don't know how to apologize without her thinking I felt wrong in not telling her my reasons, because I feel no guilt for not telling her, but I feel wrong for losing my temper," he admitted, crossing his arms and leaning them on a chair while he studied the map.

"Hmm," Edmund answered, staring out the windows that were across the rear of the ship, watching the waves crest white and the lightning flash.

Suddenly the cabin door groaned against the wind as it opened. Drinian lowered the hood of the waterproof canvas cloak to nod at them. Hanging it up on a hook to drip, he moved toward the built-in shelves and bookcases along one wall and poured himself a glass of wine from the bottle that was in the decanter. Swallowing it all at once with a toss of his head, he looked at them. Caspian sat down on a seat in front of the windows, pulling off a boot and dumping the water out of it.

"Fierce wind," Edmund remarked, glancing out the windows once more when a loud howl echoed past the ship, causing the wood around them to groan.

"Aye, determined to break the mast again," Drinian agreed, pouring another glassful of strong wine. "Storms like these; they're enough to break a man's spirit too." He shook off the thought as he drank the wine.

"What's our position?" Edmund asked after a moment of silence, each man thinking his personal thoughts. Drinian set his glass down and walked toward the table slowly, grabbing a marker from a carved indention on the tabletop.

"We're stuck here," he began, frustration creeping into his voice as he placed the marker in the middle of the eastern ocean on the map. This wasn't one of the magical maps; it was their old one, with Drinian's sketches to show the new islands they had come across. "With food and water for two more weeks, maximum," he added, the tone of his voice saying that he was close to complaining, but also stating he was giving them the entire truth. "This is your last chance to turn back your majesties," he confided, since they were alone, and Susan, Lucy, and Reep weren't present, he was speaking freely. "We have no guarantee we'll spot the 'Blue Star' Coriakin sent us after anytime soon – not in this storm."

Caspian was silent, almost as if Drinian hadn't spoken, staring blankly at the ocean. "We could sail right past it and off the edge of the world!" The captain exclaimed, trying to get Caspian to respond.

"Or get eaten by a sea serpent," Edmund muttered to himself. Caspian looked up at him with slight disbelief and reproach, unbelieving that Edmund was afraid of nonexistent creatures created by drunken sailors.

Drinian knew he'd been too forward, and gone too far, so to avoid dissent among the two monarchs, he amended his argument. "I'm simply saying that the men are getting uneasy. These are strange seas; I've never seen the like." He said simply.

"Then perhaps you should tell Reepicheep that we're done with this journey, and tell Rhince we're going to abandon his wife to her unfortunate fate, which we could amend," Caspian replied sharply, standing.

Drinian exhaled heavily, realizing he'd only worsened matters. Nodding weakly in acknowledgment of Caspian's statement, he muttered, "I'm going back to the helm." He pulled the cloak off the hook and tied it on, before being swallowed up by the roar of the wind and the darkness of the deck as he began to exit the cabin. "Just a word of warning," he said, stepping back into the light and raising his voice to be heard over the din, "the sea can play nasty tricks on a man's mind. Very nasty." With that, he was gone.

Edmund glanced at Caspian, but the king was staring at the map, lost in thought.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The Stars sat in the galley, Arran staring blankly into a half-empty glass of rum, Zephyr playing with small spurts of his magic, and Gavan leaning back on a stool against the wall; arms crossed, studying the grain of the wooden floor. The lanterns swayed crazily as the ship crested a swell, causing the flames to flicker a bit.

"Have we been cursed to wander this endless bloody ocean for all time?" Arran scowled, tilting his flagon slightly, some of the dark liquid sloshing onto the table.

"Oh, do come off, you're starting to sound like your normal self, at least keep pretenses up until we return to Narnia, or, die," Zephyr reprimanded sharply, praying that his brother's double nature wouldn't start coming to light because of recent events.

"Calm down both of you, I think the rain and the drink have gone to your heads," Gavan muttered.

"What are you, referee now?" Arran mocked, looking at Gavan in annoyance.

"If I have to be, then yes. Arran, you brought this upon yourself, so stop complaining. Zephyr, you dislike Arran, why did you vouch to watch after him if you knew it would come to blows?" Gavan asked quietly.

"Because Durken was otherwise occupied and Erikk hates the ocean," Zephyr answered, his frown deepening.

"Very well then, but don't get him riled if you're supposed to be keeping him from doing so," Gavan advised.

"You two are amusing," Arran smiled, taking a drink.

"And you're a sorry sight when you get drunk," Gavan retorted, watching his brother drain the glass. Of all the mythical creatures in Narnia, Gavan thought Stars were the worst drunkards.

"Get off your high horse, the both of you! I didn't come all this way for nothing you know," Arran grumbled, standing, but stumbling forward when the ship swayed.

"Go to bed Arran," Zephyr ordered as his brother left the room.

Arran waved off his words, instead going up on deck.

"I hate it when he gets like this," Zephyr mumbled, coming to his feet.

"What did you expect? He was always going to do this sooner or later," Gavan acknowledged, following his brother out.

"I know, _that's_ what I don't like," Zephyr replied over his shoulder, holding the railing for support.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy woke feeling a bit confused. Unsure of what woke her she glanced around the room, but everyone was still asleep, including Rilian. Suddenly, she got an urge to take out the page from the incantation book that she'd stolen, wanting to see it, that little nagging voice in the back of her head whispering that she needed to make sure she still had it. When she pulled it out and stared at the page, gilt words glinting slightly in the dim lantern hanging overhead, which was being swung around wildly in the throws and rolls of the ship, she found that she just had to read aloud the spell. Just to see what would happen, no other reason, she tried to convince herself.

"Transform my reflection, cast into perfection, lashes, lips and complexion. Make me she, whom I'd agree, holds more beauty over me."

After she finished whispering the words, she realized the picture on the page hadn't transformed as before. A small part of her breathed a long sigh of relief, the part of her that knew it was wrong what she'd done. But that little voice that was growing steadily stronger whispered otherwise. It coaxed her to remember the long mirror across the room, and to see if perhaps the magic worked differently this time. So, careful not to wake her sister, or Gael, she pushed the sheets aside and eased her away carefully to the mirror.

She didn't notice, in her attempts to be quiet and not wake anyone, was that the swing of the lantern had stopped, and the darkness outside the cabin windows had brightened. It was odd, watching her dress change in the mirror. She saw her own reflection for an instant, before Susan's – well, almost Susan's, there was something slightly different about it – stared back at her. Lucy – or was she Susan now? – reached up and touched her face, wondering if it was only an illusion. But the image in the mirror touched her face too. She took a breath to steady herself; this was starting to feel a little scary, when from beside her, she heard a whisper.

"_Touch the mirror,"_ the haunting, hissing voice murmured. She did, and surprisingly, it gave under her hand, swinging outward, like a door. She stopped putting force on it, and the door stopped.

"_Why not go through it, see where it goes, adventures are interesting," _the voice coaxed again from beside her. The voice was right, she reasoned, adventures _were_ always interesting, and besides, how bad could this be? She could always go back if it was dull, or nothing extraordinary.

So, like Alice through the looking glass, she walked through the mirror/door into a brightly lit world. Behind her, out of sight, a faint green mist glowed with growing power.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Jazz music.

The type she'd only heard when she listened to American radio stations, played around her as she walked into the sunlight, a clear blue sky overhead. Suddenly, to her right, a butler announced her arrival.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Pevensie," He had a distinctly American accent. But she couldn't dwell on it, for people expected her to keep walking. Around her, as she stepped off the porch, or gazebo, or stoop, whichever it was, she became surrounded by soldiers and well-dressed gentlemen and ladies, nearly all of them, except for a few, were American.

She ignored the whistles from the lower ranking officers, her time in Narnia serving her well, and kept walking. To where, she wasn't certain. She walked past a group of young men, each in varying uniform, talking just loud enough for her to hear. "What a looker," one commented. "Swell," a British soldier replied. She was glad she hadn't been looking at them; they didn't see the hint of blush come into her cheeks.

"Edmund?" she said in surprise and joy, noticing her brother as he walked up, lacing her arm through his.

"You look beautiful sister," he said kindly. Which she found odd; Edmund never praised outward appearances so freely, especially not in public like this.

"As always," a deeper voice intoned indulgently from her left. Peter walked up smiling, and she automatically put her arm through his. Before she could ask him where they were, or why they were there, a man in a major's uniform came up from the right, holding the cumbersome pieces of a camera and tripod.

"Excuse me, miss, but could I get a photograph?" he asked, his accent sounding strangely more Narnian than British or American. Before she could object, or even be asked her pinion on the matter, Peter spoke, which was unusual, he never was spur-of-the-moment.

"Mother's going to love this, all her children in one picture." He smiled, standing still as the man set up his camera.

"Hang on, where am I? I-I mean, where's Lucy?" she asked hesitantly, realizing that something was extremely off about this entire thing.

"Smile," the photographer said loudly, grinning in exaggeration as he got ready to take the picture.

"Lucy?" Edmund suddenly asked. "Who's Lucy?" That was not like him. Not. At. All. She stared at her brother, dumbfounded, then glanced uneasily at Peter, who was ignoring the entire conversation as if he hadn't even heard it. She tried to pull away from them, realizing they might look like her brothers, but they couldn't be.

"Susan, what's wrong?" Peter called, still smiling at the photographer as he set up for another shot. His arm went behind her back, forcefully keeping her from leaving.

"Come on now miss, if you want a good picture, smile nicely," the photographer shouted, smiling with false cheer, which she found frightening.

"Edmund," she decided to appeal to her younger brother, since he at least spoke back to her. "I'm not really sure about all this; I think I want to go back."

"Go back where?" he asked with a slightly puzzled expression, before turning to smile for the camera.

"To Narnia," she said in an undertone, not wanting anyone to think her crazy should they overhear.

"What on _earth_ is Narnia?" he asked his tone indulgent as he smiled.

"What's going on?" she shouted aloud, praying someone would hear her, or that it was a dream. "Stop this!" she cried, not just to the man taking pictures, but to everything in its entirety. She covered her face with her hands, wondering just what had she done? Hesitantly, she looked up.

But the nightmare she had been in had vanished, and the mirror and the cabin of the _Dawn_ _Treader_ lay before and around her. She exhaled heavily, before gasping when Aslan came alongside her, his face clearly visible in the mirror.

"Lucy," he whispered softly.

"Aslan?" she said slowly, uncertain. She looked beside her, but nothing was there, and she berated herself for stupidity, the lion was far too big to fit in that small cabin. He watched her in the mirror as she turned to look back at him.

"Lucy, what have you done child?" he asked, his tone stern, and yet compassionate.

"I don't know," she murmured hopelessly, feeling small and inadequate suddenly as she stared into Aslan's golden eyes looking at her in the mirror. "But that was awful," she amended, realizing she did know some of what she had done.

"But you chose it Lucy," Aslan reasoned wisely, his eyes holding pity.

"I didn't want all of that!" she said pathetically, feeling horrid for injuring her relationship with Aslan. "I only wanted to be beautiful _like_ Susan. I didn't want to _be_ her. That's all," she whispered, feeling better for admitting the truth, whatever the lion might say.

"You wished yourself away, and with it, much more. Your brothers and sister would not know Narnia without you Lucy. You were the one to discover it, remember?" The lion was silent for a moment, allowing Lucy to remember all those years ago her first adventure into Narnia. After several minutes, she could look at Aslan again.

"Do you think I care about outward beauty? Your sister is lovely in her own way, but it was your heart that led you into Narnia, she would not have had the courage to tell the others, nor the valiance to believe when they doubted. Your spirit is beautiful, that is why you found Narnia, why I was calling to _you_. Not Susan." Aslan's voice was warm and gentle as he spoke.

"I'm so sorry," Lucy murmured softly, trying to hold back tears, which she knew were unnecessary because Aslan knew true repentance, tears were not needed.

Aslan stared at her silently, before speaking words he knew applied to many on this vessel. "You doubt your value; don't run from who you are." He turned and left her looking into the mirror at her own reflection.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Thunder growled, and lightning flashed, its cold blue light illuminating the cabin. Lucy jerked away with a start. "Aslan!" she cried, glancing about the cabin. Susan stirred beside her. "Is it Rilian?" she asked, beginning to sit up.

"No, nothing, I had a nightmare," Lucy whispered. Susan nodded tiredly, before closing her eyes and going back to sleep. Lucy watched her sister for a moment, making sure she really had gone back to sleep, before pulling the page from the Book into the light. The faint flame was flickering eerie shadows across it, causing her to shudder slightly, wondering how she had ever thought the parchment enticing. Glancing around the room, she wondered how to rid herself of the page as she crushed it into a ball.

The small flame in the fireplace crackled feebly. She slid out of bed and walked across the deep violet rugs toward it, remembering another similar flame from her first time in Narnia. Quickly, before she had second thoughts, or that little voice that she hated returned and told her otherwise, she threw the page into the fire. For less than a second, she thought the flames transformed into Aslan as they caught hungrily at the edges of the paper. A lion's roar seemed to echo through the room, before it was quiet.

Lucy exhaled. She was unaware of the green mist fading away slowly toward the door.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The wind moaned eerily in the dark, pushing against the sides of the _Treader_, and the waves thrashed, battering the bow as she raked the top of a wave and slid down into a trough. Arran leaned against a rope near the figurehead that was holding the mast in place against the higher winds. He stared absently into the dark water, lightning crashing overhead illuminating the ocean now and again. The wind whispered by him with another moan as he hummed a familiar dirge that sailors sung when burying bunkmates at sea. Drinian came up behind him, concerned by Arran's expression; it was as if he was hypnotized by the waves.

"Are you all right?" he called. Arran startled slightly, but relaxed and resumed his humming.

"All die," he declared absently – his voice oddly light – pausing in his song.

"Arran, come off it," Drinian said, resisting the tremors that crawled coldly up his spine to shiver at the odd words.

"Down to the briny deep," the pirate muttered "and nevermore to see the sun." Arran swayed with the ship, a mirthless smile coming to his face.

"Aslan help us," Rynelf said quietly, coming up beside Drinian. "Thirteen days at sea in a storm, and now the Star's gone mad."

"No, not mad I think, just himself." Drinian disagreed, waving the other sailor's remark away as he watched the Star. "What are you thinking sailor?" Drinian called out to Arran again.

"Cursed waters, Dark magic. Watch for dragons in the storms," Arran answered, looking back at the captain briefly before returning his attentions to the water.

"What _is_ he going on about?" Rynelf muttered in annoyance, shivering. Whether it was from the cold wind or Arran's cryptic sentences, Drinian couldn't tell.

"Something from his past, I shouldn't wonder. Stars are as old as – or older – than the ocean itself, and Arran's seen his share of nightmares come to life. Let him drown his sorrows for a time, he won't do anything foolish, he's no mortal." Drinian dismissed Arran's actions, returning to the helm, leaving the Narnian sailor staring at the pirate, and wondering if this was the queerest they would see that questioned sanity on this voyage.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The ship swayed, and her timbers groaned belowdecks. Sailors shifted restlessly in their sleep. With a sigh and a moan, green mist tumbled down the stairs, its powers greater in darkness and the brooding tempest. Sometimes it paused in its spreading across the floors, to let faint green tendrils out to a sword, testing to see if they bore the magic it sought, its own magic, but not yet gone dark. With a shriek, like that of an owl or a mouse caught in a trap, it recoiled from the sword beside Edmund, hissing violently as the magic repelled its efforts to create a tempting dream for him.

"_Go, dark ones," _The calm as summer, resonating voice whispered. The magic in the sword caused the emeralds to flash a bright green when the voice spoke against the mist.

"_Let us test him, only test him." _the mist fought back, hissing violently when the lantern jerked on its chain and the light fell across it.

"_Very well, but I will destroy you if you breach your request." _The voice faded, and the gems returned to their former color. With low mutters, the mist spread across the floor into the darkness of the hull beyond it, moving on to the next sleeping figure. But a different magic emanated from her, and the mist retracted. Though slower, it knew with time, she would fall, and when she did, it would be waiting to take every bit of power she thought she possessed. The little boy it ignored. _"Already broken, already broken,"_ it hissed to itself, passing him by.

Coming to another man, they stopped; at first the darkmagic was unable to comprehend the lack of protection, or the lack of lightmagic here. Of course, there were the regular kinds, but nothing like Edmund's. With a creaking and hissing that made for a horrific sounding laugh, it fashioned a dream for him too.

**~o0o~**

The mist towered and billowed, using the young man's memories to perfect their image they were creating. Finally, they finished.

"_Edmund," _the voice called in her soft whisper, trying to make her as enticing as she had always been.

_He and his siblings were in a hunting party, and then he realized it was the White Stag they were after. Then the animal jumped around a bend and was gone. But as they dismounted, seeing the animal in the thicket ahead of them, it turned into the Witch. "Edmund, Edmund," she whispered though the trees, making him shudder with remembrance._ Edmund shook his head in his sleep.

He opened his eyes, and alertly looked around. He'd always trained himself to wake up instantly so that in the battlefield, there was less chance of his making a mistake. He peered into the darkness cautiously, remembering hearing someone call him.

"_Edmund, come with me, join me." _She rose out of the shadow, like the monsters of children's nightmares, as his fear gave her more power and vitality.

Not really even processing her words, he drew the sword from beside him, ready to do battle with her again, if he must.

**~o0o~**

"Edmund!"

With a low hiss of frustration, the mist faded, leaving them. This wasn't as tempting as some of the things that would befall them, it still had a chance.

Edmund turned to face the voice addressing him nervously, wondering what assailant it was this time. His sister walked down the stairs toward his hammock in the nightdress Susan had given her. He turned back to the corner, expecting the see _her_ eyes still staring at him, hand beckoning. He sighed and lowered his blade when he saw she was gone. He swallowed, before acknowledging his sister. "Oh Lucy," he whispered, breathing heavily from the adrenaline rush.

The thunder and lightning sounded overhead, causing them to jump slightly. Caspian woke with a start, and was relieved to see that his own dream was not reality. He sighed in defeat, not wanting to try sleeping again for fear of facing another nightmare that was all too vividly real.

"I can't sleep," Lucy said, looking at her brother.

Edmund glanced around at them, the expressions across the board were all similar, and so he could imagine his own. "Let me guess," he looked up at his sister, "bad dreams." It was not a question, merely a fact. Lucy didn't meet his gaze; she was staring at the floor, an expression of painful remembrance on her face when she did look at them. Caspian nodded, admitting defeat instantly, which was not something he often did.

"So either we're all going mad," Edmund swallowed, lying back down uneasily "or something's just playing with our minds," he finished, his hold on his sword never loosening, staring off into the darkened corner.

"Just playing? Or trying to harm us," Caspian muttered, standing.

"Where are you going?" Lucy asked as he walked past.

"To help Drinian, and perhaps to think straight," he answered, walking out of sight.

Lucy looked back at Edmund, he tried to smile, but it was halfhearted. She too, felt that her dream was personal, and so they said nothing to the other, unwilling to trust in each another to confide their stories to.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Well, tell me what ya'll think! I myself am rather pleased with the way this turned out. Sorry for the long delay on updating, however. So, yeah, *sigh* this was pretty much movie plot, interspersed with my own plot really. It didn't really move anything forward (this is looking to be my longest fanfic yet), although I was hoping it would. **

**I kind of gave more life to the mist, I hope ya'll don't mind that. I sort of made it this evil entity, unlike the (let me just say it this **_**once**_**) pathetic film. I know, I know, I know, I shouldn't be so cruel and harsh and all, but really, from a Narnia nut's perspective, it really was a shoddy job at trying to recreated Jack's adventure across the Eastern Ocean. I had a whole scene for Caspian, but then, reading it along with Edmund's nightmare, I decided it would probably be best in the future (aka: Do-Not-Know-If-It-Will-Happen-Though-It-Most-Likely-Will) story I'll do centered on Narnia from Caspian's POV. (Remember, if you still read this Bekah, I said that I'd be busy writing on here till about 2017?) Yes, 2017, I know. **

**Ok, moving on: **

**So yes, I cut that section, and thought it made this a lot more flowing. I realize that even if there's not much Caspian, Susan, or Caspian/Susan in this, I have the whole of Book Three to write about them, but this is the last time I'll ever get to centre my plot and other items of concern around (solely, I might add) the Pevensies. So, I'm working with them, all past complaints I had about this book wandering from its course, consider null and void please. **

**Ok, number one thing I want to clarify on: I bet a great bunch of you readers are wondering why I waited two chapters to explain Eustace's absence from the group and how he found his way back. My reasoning's; I did not want to spend time explaining everything around Eustace as I explained Eustace's, well, 'Eustacyness'. I wanted to get my descriptions and what-not out of the way so I could just write Eustace in all his annoying glory. Besides that, it just takes a lot of my writing power to come up with something that sounds like the guy (I mean book character and movie character both – together – as one person) without overdoing it. It turned out nicely. I'm pleased. **

**I was becoming tired of writing Arran so seriously; I enjoyed giving him a reprieve in that little flashback to Eustace. If I do say myself, he was quite hilarious. But that's merely my opinion, I might have laid it on too thick, however, you tell me. **

**I like writing these Caspian and Edmund scenes, I always thought they were rather hostile in Prince Caspian to one another, and then in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, they were a bit 'You're king, I'm king, where do we stand now?'. Like they were testing each other, yet at the same time they were friends, but, not really. I don't know, just another of my opinions. Well, I guess I'm done now.**

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**Sorry for the long wait, and many thanks for pointing out my errors! If I _ever_ become a published author, you can be sure that all my appreciations and acknowledgements will say this among the other names; 'And for ILoveFanfiction, without this writer, I would not be the writer I am today!' because it's true, and I thank you heartily. **

* * *

**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...} Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note.**

**Happy reading, **

**W.H. 1492**


	23. Ware Dragons In The Storm

**Chapter Twenty-Three: 'Ware Dragons in the Storm**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Caspian came up on deck, and was surprised, and greatly pleased, to note that it was no longer raining. The wind was not as heavy as it had been, but it still blew up from the west with no sign of ceasing. The clouds raced by, the wind much higher among them. The world seemed to shine dimly in the light from the full moon, which was only visible when the clouds parted every so often overhead. If not for the nightmare that weighed on his mind, and the thoughts about how to defeat this seemingly unconquerable mist, he would have smiled at the favorable outlook. As it was, he hardly thought about it, except to note that they should finally make good time.

"Is it not relieving to know the worst is past?" Drinian said behind him. Caspian turned slightly as the Captain walked up to join him.

"Is it?" Caspian repeated with some cynicism.

"I think it is, yes. The weather should only become better from now on," Drinian clarified. Caspian exhaled slowly, realizing Drinian had not meant that what they were facing couldn't get any worse.

"You're right." Caspian sighed.

"Something bothering you, you seem… Off, somehow," Drinian noticed, leaning forward slightly to better look at his friend's face.

"I'm fine, just, unable to sleep." Caspian did not want to admit his fears to Drinian; he did not want to seem foolish.

There was silence for several minutes, Drinian and Caspian both watching the clouds move apart to allow the stars to come into view. "Very well then, I have the con, so, if you would excuse me please?" Drinian asked.

"Of course," Caspian allowed, nodding his head a fraction in dismissal. The captain backed away, before turning and walking back to the helm, hand lightly resting on his sword hilt.

"Will you not tell _me_ what is wrong?"

Caspian turned his head as Susan walked to his side. "I did not expect you to be awake at this hour," he remarked.

"Mother's intuition, I can tell when people aren't sleeping," Susan said, laughing lightly. "No, actually, Lucy left; I was coming to find her, when I saw you talking with Drinian. I heard the last of your conversation when I came up," she added as he looked away, unwilling to meet her questioning blue eyes.

"Hmm."

"So you won't tell me?" she tried again.

"Tell you what? Why I want to continue, or why I cannot sleep?" He looked over at her, an eyebrow raised in question.

"That isn't fair! You know that's not what I asked," Susan replied in a hurt, accusing whisper, looking away as she spoke.

He sighed, closing his eyes. He could not blame lack of sleep for his callous reaction to her question. What he'd said was wrong, and he knew it. "You're right, that was not what you asked. I suppose I cannot sleep because there is much to think about, a great deal to muse over," Caspian amended.

"Could I keep you company while you muse?" Susan looked up at him, her lips curving in the beginnings of a smile.

"Won't you want to sleep awhile before Rilian wakes?" he asked, finally looking down at her.

"I'm quite sure there shall come days when I will sleep the whole night through, without a single child or baby to worry over, but this is the only night like this I shall be able to spend with you, it won't happen again. So if you want someone to talk to, or to simply think with, or just for silent company, I'm quite willing to listen." Her eyes sparkled slightly with mirth in the light from the moon, while she waited for his answer.

"Very well then, as you like." He smiled back at her.

"Well, share what troubles you," Susan said softly, watching the waves fall and rise, and every so often, the moonbeams hit them with silver light.

"I cannot help but feel that, if we are tested, as Coriakin says, what if we fail? What if my own ignorance causes us to find some ill fate? Then I should have that to acknowledge as well as so many other faults of my own," he said, his voice laced with frustration and confusion, at himself. Susan looked over at him; her concern well hidden, because she knew he would not want that in this moment.

"You will not fail, none of us shall, Aslan has us on this venture for a reason, and He will not let us fail. If you weren't concerned with failing, then you should most definitely fail, but rely in Aslan, He's not just a rescuer when we need help, I'm very certain He's something to fully trust in." Susan smiled at her husband.

He looked back at her thoughtfully, brown eyes nearly black in the silver-grey light. When she said things like this, it made him wonder how he could ever become angry at her, she was a wonderful, wonderful person, still offering her advice and thoughts after all that they'd said to one another, and still willing to listen. "That is some good then," he eventually replied.

"Yes, a world of it," she answered. "The ocean is beautiful at night, under a full moon, isn't it?" she continued softly, changing the subject as she looked back across the waves.

"Yes, but you outshine it," Caspian replied. She smiled and shook her head slightly, letting her long hair fall over her shoulders, hiding her face.

"Trying to win me back with flattery?" she murmured, her voice light.

"Never," he replied, sliding his arm around her waist and pulling her closer.

"What do you want to find at the end of the world, I know everyone wants for some dream," Susan asked softly, resting her head on his shoulder, she looked up at him as she spoke.

"To find what I don't understand. To truly feel… accepted, approved," he whispered in reply, not looking at her, but at the water.

"Caspian, no matter what comes, whatever answers you find at the end of this ocean, know this; the King of kings has given you a great people to rule, and the High King has set you on his throne, they accept you, and they trust you with the souls of countless beings. They approve of you, they chose you. I know my brother; he would not have given you that sword if he did not approve of you. If understanding this comes at the end of this journey, then so be it. But know it now." Susan's blue eyes met the king's brown ones filled with compassion, hope and faith shining through.

"Thank you," he said simply.

"_Always_," she whispered.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The morning dawned bright and clear; leaving everyone aboard the _Dawn_ _Treader_ ready to work once more, and go about setting the ship to rights again. Arran still seemed distant since that night, Drinian noticed, but the pirate pitched in and helped where it was needed. They were once more low on supplies, but not nearly as drastic as the last time. And, they were not worried, for in the distance, they could see the thick clouds that gave way to the fact that an island was not far away. Two days' time Drinian had said.

After so many dark days, when everyone was fighting to keep the ship upright, or keep from being washed overboard, the cool, balmy days were welcome, and odd, for all those who had been busy so long to now have few, if any, occupations. The calm allowed Edmund time to think of many things, one of which, was Daniel. He had not brought up the subject with Serene after Narrowhaven, but now, he finally felt that he wanted to know more of this young man who was his son.

Serene was standing near the bow, her eyes closed as the wind brushed by her, enjoying the sound of the waves hitting the prow, and the spray of the saltwater. It had been many, many a year since she had last been on the ocean. She turned when he walked up, however, a small smile on her face.

"Serene, I don't know how to ask this, but…" Edmund trailed off, wondering why he suddenly wanted to do this. She didn't prod him. She knew it would take him a moment to gather his thoughts. "Serene, remember when you… you told me of Daniel? I should like to know more of him," Edmund finally managed, running a hand through his hair restlessly.

Serene smiled slightly. "Of course, I was wondering if you might. You're silence was beginning to concern me, but, it was something difficult to believe," the young woman allowed, her smile faltering ever so much.

"When you told me, I was not able to think clearly, it was a great deal of information suddenly thrust at me, and I'm still not entirely sure if I remember it correctly," Edmund admitted.

"What should you wish to know first?" Serene whispered, watching him carefully.

"Anything you feel you can tell me without it causing too much pain to recall," Edmund said, his voice rising and falling with withheld emotions.

"I don't quite know what more to say to fill that, except he was so very _you_. He– he, well, he knew the meaning of justice, and he was brave and selfless. And he loved the griffins," Serene said, tears slowly sliding down her cheeks, even though she smiled absently.

"After you knew I would not return, where did you go, what did you do?" Edmund asked.

"The war against Telmar was rising, Amalia was trying her best, but you could see – especially near the borders of Narnia – just how much her loss was preventing her from functioning. And then, then came the days when I realized that she was ill, I knew that Narnia was not long to suffer a new loss, and gain a new ruler. I went with the griffins, to the mountains, after Daniel was born. Dez helped, as your friend, and one of the few who knew. As soon as Daniel was old enough to understand, I told him of the state of Narnia, her possible fate, and of the many things that happened as the centuries passed.

"I refrained from telling him that you were his father, I was afraid he might resent my relationship with you, and think me little more than a mistress to you, or something more degrading. The day on the battlefield, the day Aslan called him home – called us both home – I thought he was so like you. He fought so bravely, and he never gave thought to himself. I wish you could have known him, even for a short time," Serene finished, looking away.

"I still cannot believe…" Edmund murmured hoarsely, leaning against the rigging for support.

"I know, it's greatly my fault," Serene whispered, coming toward him, resting her hand comfortingly on his arm.

"No, it's not yours alone, it is mine too," Edmund replied, taking her hand in his, meeting her gaze. They stood there for some time, each dealing with a different loss of Daniel, but yet, it was much the same.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Things seem to fall apart and then come together," Zephyr declared absently, watching Edmund and Serene from where he sat with Arran. They were coiling rope and sharpening harpoons near the weapons cabin.

"Well, isn't that life? When you're nearly immortal, like the Kings and Queens seem to be – coming and going as they do – doesn't life fall apart and come together like sand sifts through an hourglass?" Arran answered practically, running the whetstone quickly over the harpoon edge.

"I suppose," Zephyr admitted slowly, as he finished winding the thick rope into a coil and started splicing hemp for more.

"And I really think that not everything falls apart, it merely comes together in ways we can't see yet," Arran added thoughtfully.

"That makes more sense!" Zephyr agreed with a ghost of a smile. "What do you think of Gavan and the Queen? I wonder about them Arran." Zephyr glanced at his brother with concern.

"I don't know. He's falling in love with something that's not mortal, but not mythical either. I don't think either of them realizes it yet, but Lucy is not like her siblings." Arran grabbed a cloth and rubbed it over the silver tip of the harpoon, shining it.

"You mean that odd magic?" Zephyr asked, glancing at Arran once more, pausing in his work.

"Yes. It's a draw that I fear," Arran admitted. "But Gavan just lets himself be drawn – I'm starting to think he can't ignore it – and he never could," Arran confided, which surprised his brother.

"He'll end up unhappy when she goes, it'll kill him," Zephyr pointed out, looking worried.

"I don't know if that will happen," Arran declared slowly, before changing topics. "What do you make of that island in the distance; don't you feel something odd about it?"

"Hmm, yes, something… dark," Zephyr agreed.

"_Watch for dragons in the storm,"_ Arran whispered, his gaze going toward the clouds in the distance that hid the island behind it.

"What?" Zephyr asked.

"Nothing, just, Mezelzaz used a storm coming off the ocean to hid his approach, when he burned Midalin, and, dragons often come up when you least expect them, or need them. During storms," Arran explained.

"You mean complications, or, things we must overcome – don't you?" Zephyr answered, looking searchingly at his brother.

"Yes, yes I do," Arran murmured softly, still staring at the clouds thoughtfully. He shivered absently, remembering the black dragon's wrath, and the scars that he'd received from the monster.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"What do you think this island will be like Gavan?" Lucy asked, leaning forward slightly beside the large dragon figurehead, her eyes watching the large white clouds in the distance.

"I don't know, wild – to be sure – but what else, I cannot say," Gavan replied vaguely, watching Lucy more than looking at the clouds. She had so much enthusiasm, he thought, smiling slightly, it was as if she never tired of anything, and even the smallest thing was exciting.

"What?" she asked, smiling at him curiously when she realized he was staring at her.

"You, you're so full of life, so easily enthralled, I could spend years just learning what all that makes you happy," he answered, with a slight smile of his own.

Lucy blushed slightly, looking down, unsure of exactly what to say. This warm, happy feeling she felt when Gavan said something, or was near her, was so strange. It felt wonderful, but at times, she was afraid that she might not really understand what she was feeling, and that she was being too quick to assume.

Gavan watched her thoughtfully for several minutes more, wondering about where this relationship would bring him. Did he really want to pursue an interest in one of the Queens of Narnia? Now, when nothing was challenging, and being near her made the draw of the sky less, his choices were simple. But, he could not always be by her side, life wouldn't allow that. So what then, how hard would things become, and was it really worth so much sacrifice?

Then his thoughts moved to the direr situation at hand; she would leave, if not today, then tomorrow. She'd left before, who's to say when – or if – she would come back? He did not think he could live with that knowing. No, on all fronts, this was impossible. But then, there was always that one glimmer of hope. Fragmented and bouncing like a prism of light in the darkness. Hope; annoying, uncrushable hope. He scoffed to himself, weighing the odds. Then, as his mind wandered, he looked back at Lucy, and once more, his whole perspective on the situation changed, and he wanted to see just what would happen if he allowed himself to act on his feelings.

"What do you want to find?" Gavan asked her, nodding toward the clouds and the dark line of land underneath.

"I don't know, I suppose something from my day, something that reminds me of the old days, when things were simple," Lucy said wistfully, blushing slightly at voicing her wishes.

"That would be comforting I suppose, to one who has lived through many changes, not all of them good," Gavan allowed in agreement.

"Yes," Lucy whispered, looking away from him and back toward the large island.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

On toward seven o'clock the next evening, they arrived at the island. Mountains and jagged cliffs rose, as if trying to reach the sky. Dark fir trees and scrub covered the yellowish-gold-brown rock, standing out deep green against the mountainous island. As they sailed into a cove that the lookout pointed them toward, several white goats crashed nimbly through some scrubby trees and out of sight.

Needing only six people to steer the ship through the cove mouth, the rest of the sailors were standing at the rail, staring at this strange new place. The silence pressed down on them, not a single birdcall could be heard. Deer, with smooth, long black horns and strange pale markings on their hides, jumped through the thickets that grew down to the saltwater, and several thick-haired ponies clambered across a nearby stone ridge, but those – and the white goats – were the only signs of life.

The still water, smooth as glass, rippled outward from the ship as they sailed further into the cove, not a fish jumped. Mountains rose high and impressive toward the sky, their peaks covered in clouds, and waterfalls making white ribbons streaming down from the distant mountainsides.

Caspian stood next to Edmund; both were observing the island with appraising glances, wary of the unknown. From the helm, Drinian called for the sail to be secured, and the anchor to be dropped. Arriving at the kings sides, he said quietly so no one but Caspian and Edmund could hear; "And what are your orders, your Majesties?"

Caspian and Edmund shared glances, they had agreed without much conversation, to what they'd decided upon. "No one leaves the ship until morning, when there's better light, and less chance of being ambushed," Caspian answered in an equally low tone.

"Agreed," Drinian nodded, before returning to the helm to announce the decision to the crew. "Until morning, we are to stay aboard this vessel! We must proceed with caution. This island doesn't look none too friendly," he muttered to Arran, who had been standing nearby.

"In the unknown, what does?" the pirate captain whispered back, staring at the mountains and the trees with an analyzing look, before turning and walking down the stairs with Drinian. But his hand rested on his hilt as he walked behind the Galmanian captain, a gesture Zephyr caught as they walked by him, one he knew very well. Arran was planning something.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Eustace was annoyed at the fact that they would not be disembarking from the ship that evening, and voiced his personal opinions loudly. That evening, Caspian and Susan had dinner in the large cabin, wanting to talk in private, freely among everyone they were close to, without sailors who might possibly do something rash. After all, you cannot often trust your crew, no matter how loyal they claim to be. They invited Drinian, as the captain, and as a close friend. The Stars declined, knowing when to keep out of a gathering with the monarchs. And because Zephyr didn't think Arran's personal reasons for attending would be honest.

**~o0o~**

"So, why are we all here? We've never done this before, do you expect me to think you did this for no reason?" Eustace exclaimed once everyone was eating. Caspian, who had been talking to Susan who was sitting on his left, straightened to look at the interruptive boy.

"Is it not reason enough that we have dined at length with the crew, and have long deserved time away?" he asked, keeping his voice pleasant, which was not difficult, he had no reason to be angry, Eustace had a point.

"I suppose, it just seems odd," Eustace grumbled, slouching in his seat. He stared at all the cutlery and the wine and water glasses that reflected the light, muttering to himself.

"What was the real reason you decided to stay offshore?" Serene asked, looking up from her plate.

"Considering recent adventures, I thought, and Edmund agreed it wise, that staying ship bound until the morning was in everyone's best interest. Given that Lucy tends to find something to keep us busy, or that we all end up captured and bound for the slave market," Caspian replied with a slight nod, a half-smile on his face.

Lucy laughed into her napkin at his words, and Edmund cleared his throat, reaching for his wineglass. "That isn't funny, I don't think that was very funny," Susan whispered to him, though she was smiling as well.

"I admit, it wasn't amusing in the slightest when it happened, but now, looking back, you can laugh just a bit, can't you?" Caspian asked, looking at her. She rolled her eyes, straightening to reach for her glass, but her smile did not go away.

"I think – all of us here are mature enough to look at the situation from every angle –" Drinian glanced at Eustace briefly, brown eyebrow rising in speculation, "that this island has the potential to be either welcoming, or perilously dangerous. Caution, at this moment in time, seems a great deal better than meeting a painful, and very often needless, death." Drinian took a forkful of sea bass off his plate as he finished.

"Yes," Edmund agreed, nodding thoughtfully.

"Well, I don't see what the big deal is. If you all know this 'Aslan' fellow will pull you out of a slump, what's the worry?" Eustace said suddenly, taking a bite of sautéed turnip.

"'What's the worry' young master? _What's_ _the_ _worry_?" Drinian's hand came down firmly on the tabletop, his expression thunderous.

"Eustace, I think what Drinian is trying to say, is that, Aslan just doesn't go around rescuing stupid people who were smart enough to see the danger in the first place. It, well, it just doesn't work like that," Edmund tried to explain.

"You just used 'stupid' and 'smart' in the same sentence, cousin," Eustace pointed out with cynicism.

"Does that really matter? I can see that both my Captain, and Edmund, has pointed out a very good reason to stay on the _Dawn_ _Treader_. Must you ruin this dinner by disagreeing with your elders, or, since you're new here, your betters?" Caspian asked calmly, his gaze meeting Eustace's unwaveringly until the boy was forced to look down.

The rest of the dinner was lighter, and the subjects were never so tense or deep again. Most of the conversation was spent with everyone recounting memories of the not-too-distant past. Edmund talked about some of his experiences in Calormen, nearly all of which left him in laughter; along with whomever he was conversing. Drinian talked about some of his more let's say – frivolous – ventures, involving monkeys and concerned nobility. Lucy wanted to know about Susan and Caspian's wedding, and what her sister's dress had looked like, and if the Narnians had helped with it.

Eustace listened, and, consequently, had his first taste of strong Narnian wine. He barely refrained from spitting it back into the glass. But his respect grew a notch for the men surrounding him as they all swallowed it without flinching. Edmund reached for his glass and drained the wine as if he had drunk it all his life, which was almost true. Caspian though, and Drinian, amazed Eustace most. They would drink their glasses, and then refill them to the brim, but their countenance would not change, and they did not seem to be getting drunk.

When Drinian went to refill his glass a third time, he noticed the boy staring, and it made him feel uncomfortable, so he lowered the wine bottle, leaving his glass half-filled. Eventually, Eustace managed to drain his own goblet, albeit slowly. His father used to have an interest in wines before he'd married, and, when occasions arose, would offer some to guests. Eustace had learnt from his father how to tell strong wine from the cheap stuff that was mostly sold since the war had begun. He was no expert, but from the strong taste, he guessed this was unusually superb.

Thinking about the wine had kept him relatively silent, so the dinner ended pleasantly. Drinking the glassful of wine, no matter how slow, had made Eustace feel slightly drowsy, so his entry for the day was short, and slightly blurred.

Whatever Date It Is:

_We've arrived at this strange island, it's very mountainous. We caught some fish and had them for dinner, in the large cabin, just Caspian, his wife, the captain and my cousins. Oh, and that friend of Edmund's. Dropped anchor at about 7:00 P.M. in three fathoms of water in some bay. That idiot Caspian wouldn't let us go ashore, unlike all the other times. Afraid of wild beasts and savages, or something of the like. I just think he's afraid of the dark. Knowing him that's probably true. Well, tomorrow then,_

_Eustace_

* * *

**A/N:**

**Well? I don't know about this chapter, except that it moves plot {kind of} and it goes through some things. What, exactly, I'm not sure. I know that I've touched base again about Daniel, I've been wanting to do that again, but I never really found another appropriate moment for it {don't even know if this moment was appropriate}. **

**I kind of thought about it for a while before writing it, and I realized that, in a way, Serene and Edmund have 'lost a child'. They really didn't, but, in a way they did. {I don't think that makes any sense **_**whatever**_**, but I tried****}. Edmund never knew Daniel, and he's not with them. {I'm going to drop the subject while I'm ahead and let ya'll figure it out.} **

**Lucy and Gavan are close to working something sensible out. But I think Gavan really likes her, don't you? Lol, of course he does! Sorry, I'm just very perky right about now, don't rightly know why. **

**Eustace and the wine****: That's about as close to alcohol as I'll really ever get. I wrote that because I wanted to address the fact that Jack mentions them drinking quite a bit in his books. Well, I should say, I wanted to keep that habit up. And that, once again, gives off this 'young – but adult – but not' feel that I get whenever I read. I also enjoy entertaining the idea that Eustace – who has never really tasted wine – drinks this stuff, and then can barely hold it down, while everyone around him (excluding Lucy and Serene, Serene mainly because I don't fancy she'd be a drinker, and Lucy because well, I never really saw that in her) drink (seemingly to Eustace) excessively, but their comportment never lessens. I don't know, personal fancy of mine. **

**Random Thought****: I was doing some research (as good as I can do without internet and my Dad's phone) and I figured out that, though Jack writes them as children, by the time the last book takes place (around middle-to-late 1949-50) The youngest Pevensie [Lucy] would have to be in their early-to-middle twenties, no matter which way you slice it. Which means that, Eustace and Jill (I'm guessing they're the same age because they go to the same classes in school, or, I should say, they see a lot of each other in their school) would be about eighteen-nineteen when they enter Narnia for the last time ( that's if they were both twelve when they come into TSC).**

**Well, I guess that's about it.**

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**Thank you for those pointers, I was wondering about that, frankly. Don't worry, if my writer's muse has any say (she does, I admit) then Caspian shall have his own story, details and dream included. Ok, hint on why there will be Susan/Caspian in the next book: **

**TSC would be my shortest book in the series, so I'm going to build up to the actual adventure, which means: lots of Narnia beforehand! (you'll understand better when it comes out).**

* * *

**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...} Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note.**

**Happy reading, **

**W.H. 1492**


	24. Up Mountains, Down Valleys

**Chapter Twenty-four: Up Mountains, Down Valleys**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

The next morning, as the rising sun's rays reflected off the water and lit the mountains, the crew and company on board the _Dawn Treader_ rose as well. Since the water was deep enough, they could pull the _Treader_ right up to shore, which was sorely needed since there was a great deal of repairs to be made. Two parties went out in rowboats with lines attached to the ship's prow so they could tow – and then secure – her to shore. After this was finished, and she was tied off to two large pines, everyone began the tedious task of repair. Repairing everything; from leaky casks to the holes in the great purple sail.

As everyone came ashore Reep remarked, "Perhaps I should supervise Eustace, to keep him from wandering, or getting lost."

"Oh please don't send me to the Rat!" Eustace said quickly, walking in front of Caspian, angry that everyone thought he had to be babysat while they went about their work.

"We'll see," Caspian answered, moving off to assist Arran and several other sailors in hoisting down the sail to the ground so they could mend it.

"I heard that you know," Reep commented, scurrying past the blonde boy.

"Big ears," Eustace muttered snarkily.

Reep stopped, ears flicking. "I heard that too!" he said, before scurrying off to find someone who could use his assistance. Behind Eustace, someone laughed at the Mouse's words. The boy turned quickly to see Susan standing there at the foot of the gangway, holding Gael's hand in hers and carrying Rilian. He frowned at her, but she only smiled.

Shaking his head, he turned and stalked off.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Eustace watched everyone go about from his place in the shade of a tree he was sitting under. Only now, did he realize just how ragged everyone looked. They'd been through two storms without repairing their clothes or seeing to cutting their hair, and they looked it. Drinian's brown locks were ragged and starting to brush his shoulders. Edmund's were curling around his ears, making Eustace realize that it was not simply wavy, but curly. That little bit of knew-found knowledge made him smirk slightly, finding it amusing in a way. Not much seemed to have changed with Susan or Lucy, though their hair was markedly longer, and their clothes were just as frayed.

"_They all look shipwrecked,"_ Eustace scoffed inwardly. His own clothes were worn, but not torn or frayed like everyone else's because he had not helped much on shipboard.

The white shirts Caspian and Edmund wore were torn at the sleeves and the collars were starting to look threadbare. Drinian's had been patched in eighteen places and counting, Eustace noted. Several sailors were sitting around sewing new clothes; shirts, pants, vests and such. Some were even mending or making leather boots. The Stars were the only ones who looked orderly, which Eustace accounted as being because of their magic.

When Drinian left, going to wash probably, Eustace guessed, as everyone was taking turns doing that, Arran took over as supervisor, bossing everyone around, telling them what to do and what must be done. Eustace scowled, he hated the pirate, the Star acted so superior, as if he was better, Eustace thought. Really, the Narnian was helping just as much as he was giving orders. Just as Eustace was thinking he might get away with sitting under the tree until nightfall, Arran spotted him.

"Eustace, get over here and help with this canvas, or drag these barrels to Timothy!" the pirate ordered, before turning his back to deal with another task at hand.

Timothy, a sailor, soldier, and blacksmith-temporarily-turned-carpenter, looked up at Eustace, waiting. Eustace scowled, if he pretended not to have heard, then Timothy would most likely walk over to him and tell him to come help him. Slowly, as if it took some effort, Eustace stood and sauntered over toward a barrel. He sighed when the sun's rays beat down on him. This would be a long day.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

At about four in the afternoon, Eustace was given two buckets by Timothy to go and get water from the river that fed out into the cove not far away. He needed water to use in his makeshift forge, since he had to make nails and staves for the barrels and other things that were needed for the ship. He grumbled as he walked toward the river. Always he was the slave, running around doing whatever was not important enough for anyone else! It was maddening. He kicked a rock forcefully.

He stopped abruptly, dodging behind a large pine trunk when he saw them not far away. Setting down the buckets quietly on the fallen pine needles under his feet, he peeked around the tree, careful to keep as unseen as possible. For all their powers, they hadn't noticed him at all. They were still engrossed in their interrogation. Eustace strained to hear what they were saying, but could only hear fragments.

"We're not stupid… There must be…" Gavan jerked Arran by his collar against the tree, his tone sounding threatening.

"I don't think you understand…!" The pirate said, the end of his sentence rising in angry exclamation.

"Just what…" Zephyr walked closer to his brother, voice indiscernible as it lowered. They talked in whispers for several minutes.

"You think you can protect… against _me_? Really Zephyr, that's just demented!" Arran laughed despite his situation, but the sound was cold and hard. He pushed Gavan away. "What I'm going to do doesn't concern the likes of you! You think you can predict what's coming? It is far worse than you could imagine, and you just let them keep blindly getting closer!" the Star shouted angrily, pointing in the direction of the shore, and the tree Eustace was hiding behind.

"If we hadn't done something they'd…" Zephyr argued. Eustace was unable to hear the rest of his sentence from the distance he was standing at.

"They'd be in my brig, returning to Narnia, where they belong!" Arran said sharply, turning to face his brother.

"What are you saying?" Gavan looked at the pirate captain, hand going to his hilt.

"Something is coming, and by Aslan, you can be sure it's worse than a damned dragon!" Arran shouted, striding back toward the camp. Then he stopped not far from Eustace's hiding spot. He turned slightly, blonde dreadlocks falling over his shoulder, partly hiding his face. "I've warned you – and them – but what you do with that information is up to you," he declared cryptically, before turning and walking out of sight.

The next time Eustace looked around the pine's trunk, Gavan and Zephyr had vanished. He released a heavy breath he hadn't known he'd been holding; quickly he reached for the buckets and retrieved the water from the river, but as he trudged back to camp, he mulled over what he had heard. What had they been talking about? What was Arran's plan? What were Gavan and Zephyr protecting them from – and why? The day dragged on with such thought, leaving Eustace mutely following orders, sometimes not finishing what he'd been told and everyone slightly angry with him.

He sighed as he eased himself down around the fires that had been lit that evening as the ship's cook prepared dinner, and the sailors started retiring for the night from their day's work. Eustace had never worked – done honest and good work – in his life, and he was reasonably achy and tired. He'd used some muscles that he hadn't, and actually used a good portion his strength. He was, albeit he only admitted it to himself, proud of what he had done, something the old Eustace wouldn't have even considered several months ago. He smiled tiredly as he watched the flames reach toward the darkened sky, and the logs and tinder crackle and pop, sending embers off into the night.

_"__Sometimes this place is truly beautiful. At least when something isn't trying to imprison or kill you," _he thought to himself. He leaned back against a crate behind him, tilting his head slightly to gaze skyward. _"__The sky, I've never seen anything so brilliant!"_ he mentally exclaimed, staring in amazement at the brightly shining stars. He couldn't see it, but the full moon was rising on the other side of the island, marking a silver path along the top of the waves. The moment would have been wonderful, except for the sentences he heard Edmund, Drinian and Caspian exchange as they walked past behind him.

"I suppose tomorrow shall be another full day?" Caspian queried, although his tone implied that he knew the answer. The footsteps of the three men paused a few feet from the crate.

"I'm afraid so, although I would like to send out a search party and find out what else might be on this island with us, I'm inclined to attend to my vessel first. And by my account, we still have a great deal of work ahead," Drinian replied.

"That's it then, I suppose we'll have to wait before we ever discover if the Lords made it here," Edmund stated, his voice slightly regretful, slightly resigned.

"Small sacrifices, as my father used to say," Caspian remarked, his voice holding a hint of bitterness.

"Yes," Drinian and Edmund agreed, almost simultaneously. Their footsteps crunched on sand, salt grass and dirt as they walked off to another of the nearby campfires.

Eustace was dismayed however, as he had been hoping for a break the following day. _"__Is there never to be any respite? Are we always to work like dogs and follow orders like slaves?" _he questioned silently, wondering how he could keep from working the following day, to get a decent rest. He fell asleep trying to come up with a plan.

Not long after he'd fallen asleep, his plate of dinner half eaten beside him, Susan came up. She'd seen him working that day, and knew he was not the same little boy she'd met back in England several years ago. She took the plate and set it atop the crate to dispose of later, and then she went and took two blankets for the sleeping boy. One she folded and put under his head, the other she covered him with. Standing, she watched him for a few moments, a thoughtful smile on her face. He was a good boy, despite everything that had happened. Taking the plate, she walked off, her thoughts moving on to the next morning, and all her other responsibilities and concerns.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The next morning, the shouts of the crew and the noise of the mythical Narnians roused Eustace from his sleep. He pulled the blanket farther down from his face and glanced about, squinting slightly in the early morning light. The thought came to him fleetingly, and then was gone, that someone must have given him the blankets, as everything he'd overheard the night before came rushing back. He sighed dejectedly, standing slowly, grumbling all the way.

As he folded the blankets and put them on top of the crate, a thought struck him. Nobody was looking for him, or paying attention to him just yet – in fact, they were all gathered about the ship and talking amongst one another about it as if they actually liked the beastly thing. He thought about it, and decided, why not? He could take a stroll, find a place to relax, and take a well-deserved rest and then come back after they'd finished for the day. He felt it would do him good. As he eased toward the woods that skirted the open area, it struck him that it would be best to keep the bay and the ship in sight to be certain of his way back.

He quietly and carefully made his way to the wood's edge, taking extra precaution to move in an aimless manner, so that hopefully, if anyone _did_ look his way, they would only think him walking about to stretch his legs. When he reached the cover of the woods, still being cautious, in case of some sort of guard, he was surprised to note how quickly the conversation faded in the thickness of the trees. Soon everything took on a warm, dark green look, and he felt that he could go forward without all the caution of before.

As he walked, his anger built up slightly, and, since he was alone, he was rather vocal of his opinions of everyone.

"Oh yes, we're just supposed to blindly follows some insane man and a bunch of deluded people who call themselves my cousins! 'Whatever you say, Caspian', 'you must be right, Caspian', 'respect your betters'. Now what nonsense is that? Calling himself my better was he? What a joke!" As he muttered, he left the forest and came to a slope which went up steadily. He found that the going was easier if he used his hands as well as his feet. The muttering helped some, in distraction. The climb – forget all the nonsensical blather – showed that he really was changing, in spite of it all. The old Eustace would never have continued the climb; in fact, he wouldn't even have tried after the first stumble.

"And I suppose I'll get to say 'I told you so' when we all end up getting eaten by some wild monster? No, probably not, not if cousin Edmund has anything to say about that, the show-off bragging nitwit! Thinks he's smarter than me. 'I don't know about everyone else, but I have to go on', what balderdash!" He grabbed a root sticking out from the surface of the mountainside – for that's what he was climbing – and paused in his monologue. Slowly, and with several rests, he gained the ridge. From it, he hoped to have a view of the interior of the island, but the clouds – as they are apt to do in mountainous regions – had slowly been coming down from the peaks and covered the land in a blanket of whitish-grey fog, which was rolling toward him.

"Now here we are, trying to follow this elusive Blue Star to the Island of Ramandoodoo. Lay those seven steak knives at the table of this talking lion. How I wish there was someone as smart as me on this tub to see the light! I'd like to meet this Aslan fellow, see if he's as bright as they all believe he is!" he muttered, sitting down under a small bush-like-tree that was growing on the ridge. From here, since he had climbed so high, he had an excellent view of the bay in which the _Dawn_ _Treader_ was anchored, and a good view of the ocean, which seemed to stretch without limit in all seeable directions.

As he mused over the wideness of the ocean, and the fact that it must be fathoms deep, the fog gently closed in around him in a thick, but not too cold, embrace. It made him slightly drowsy, so he relaxed, laid back and tried to enjoy his respite from the drudgery of work, which was surely what everyone else was doing down below him.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

But he could not find comfort in his self-made predicament. Instead, he found – for the first time in his life – to understand and feel the meaning of loneliness. But this did not come upon him immediately. He had been lying there for a while, when he thought he heard someone calling for him. Instantly he jerked up and looked around, something inside of him eager to be off and doing something with somebody – even if it was work. But when he realized it was just a raven crying, which flew into the mist toward some unforeseeable destination, he felt sad, and lonely.

It came to him then, that he enjoyed hearing everyone's voices, even if they were making fun of him, or asking him to do something. But no matter, right? He tried to convince himself that this was what he wanted, and that everyone really didn't care about him anyway, so why bother. But that didn't help, because then that made him think; well, did they _really_ care? And if they didn't, if they only brought him along because it was the right thing to do, wouldn't they discover him gone and then leave without him?

Perhaps – the thought entered his mind like lightening – perhaps they had _let_ him go, so that they could sneak away and leave him there, at the mercy of whatever, or _who_ever, resided on the island. There was no more resting for him after that wild thought, he jerked up to his feet, fearful that perhaps hours had passed up here in the fog and they had long since left him. For the first time in his life, Eustace Clarence Scrubb was afraid of being alone, of being without friends or companionship. And _that_ was what drove him back down the mountain at a furious pace.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Well, he tried to go at a furious pace anyway. But, as we all know, going down is rather a bit different than going up. No, let me rephrase that, it's _vastly_ different than going up. He slipped and slid a few feet for the idea to sink in that he had to be cautious and proceed slowly. But, as slow as he tried, his foot came to some slick mountain grass and he slid to his left. That made him decided that he had to go more to his right. All the time he was thinking:

_"__I've got to hurry, I must be quick, I can't let them leave me here."_

Every time he fell, or stumbled, the fears and the idea of being permanently on this island returned, and he plodded another few feet, before sliding down the mountain face once more. If he had understood Caspian, Drinian, the Stars, Susan and her siblings and Serene better, he would have known that they would not have left him on the island, no matter what their feelings toward him were. But, since he had arrived, he had done a smashing job of believing they were all fiends in human form.

"At last!" he muttered in relief as he slid the remaining few feet on a scree of loose stones to the level ground at the base of the mountain. "Now, where are those trees? There's something dark ahead, well, I do believe the fog is beginning to clear!" he mused aloud. He was right, of course, the fog was lifting. And when it did, he blinked several times in the bright daylight. He was in an unknown valley, the sea was nowhere in sight. He was all alone, and it was all his fault.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Arran walked slowly to the rest of the group, who were resting under the shade of the trees to enjoy lunch. He paused in his advance to turn and look toward the mountains. He looked down after a few minutes, shaking his head in thought, before continuing to where the rest of the Narnian company was resting. As Edmund poured himself a second glass of water, he realized a familiar - slightly annoying - voice was missing from the conversation flowing around him.

He looked around, before standing and scrutinizing the surrounding area for a sign of his cousin. "Ed?" Susan looked up at her brother curiously from where she was sitting. Caspian too, waited for Edmund's response after Susan's query had drawn his attention to him.

"Where's Eustace?" Edmund asked, looking down at his sister in concern. Susan frowned, but tried not to let her worry get the better of her.

"Perhaps he's on the _Dawn_ _Treader_," she suggested lightly enough, though she too, rose to her feet and gazed about.

"No, he wouldn't, he hates the ship, you know that," Edmund disagreed, dismissing the idea with a wave of his hand. Susan shared a concerned look with her brother and together they went and searched for their cousin. Caspian, noticing their frantic – yet appearing calm – search, disengaged himself from his conversation with one of the Narnian sailors, and walked toward them.

"Eustace is missing," Susan said when he came up to them.

"What?" Caspian tilted his head to one side slightly, disbelieving it, a half-smile coming to his face. "He hates it here; he has made his opinions clear on the matter, so why would he wander off?"

"That's what I was telling Edmund, but, whatever we think, it still remains that he's gone," Susan answered, glancing around as she talked, clearly agitated over the boy's absence.

"Who's gone?" Arran asked good-naturedly, walking up to them, his brothers and Lucy in tow.

"Eustace, we've searched. It seems he's run off," Edmund said with a sigh, running his fingers through his hair.

"I could think of a thousand ways to teach him a lesson," Arran muttered angrily, turning and sweeping the open space and surrounding trees with a careful glance.

Everyone returned to the rest of the group and the crew, and informed them of the situation. Before long, everyone was searching for the boy, shouting his name and going off in rotating search parties through the forest a ways. Three hours later, everyone gathered for a conference on the subject.

"We've winded horns, shouted till we've become hoarse, either he's truly lost or not answering," Caspian said, his tone laced with frustration.

"He's nowhere near, or he'd have heard your horn," Lucy said fearfully, concerned for her young cousin.

"Confound Eustace," Edmund muttered. "What on earth would he do this for? I know things have been difficult for him, but surely he wouldn't just run off into the unknown, it- it's not like him!" he wondered aloud, staring off at the mountains.

"We must do something," Susan amended, sounding like any mother would when faced with the possible loss of a child, hers or not. "What if he's injured? Fallen down a hole or been attacked by savages?"

"Or killed by wild beasts," Drinian added.

"Or drowned," Zephyr conceded.

"Possibly eaten," Gavan agreed.

"He could have slipped off a ridge and plummeted to his death. Not an admirable ending, but still, all that way," Rynelf declared, as if plummeting was something that fascinated him.

"And good riddance if he has, _I _say," Arran muttered.

"You know, this doesn't really help," Lucy broke in, looking around at the men disapprovingly. Reep jumped in as well to defend Eustace, of whom – despite the boy's rudeness – he had become rather fond.

"Captain Arran, I do believe you've never said less becoming words in your life! Even if he isn't any friend of mine, he is of the Queen's blood, and while he's one of our fellowship it concerns our honor to find him and to avenge him if he is dead," the Mouse declared nobly, paw coming to rest on his hilt, the other positioned slightly near his heart.

"Of course we've got to find him Reepicheep, if we can. That's the nuisance of this whole problem, it shall mean a search party, and endless trouble for us. We might be here for days, and we only have so much time to complete this journey. Your cousin has caused me more problems than there's time in a day," Caspian replied, slightly exasperated.

"Then let's begin," Drinian declared, quickly gaining a semblance of control and sensibility regarding the whole situation. It was vexing, but the only way to resolve it would be to begin as quickly as possible. He called the crew over and informed them of the situation. With precision, they began organizing search parties.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Eustace stared down the unknown valley in consternation, now how was he supposed to get back? The walls rose steeply in jagged ridges and crumbling shale of varying shades of sandy-gold and grey. The grass spreading out under his feet, however, was thick, green, and lush, making him – in spite of the situation – want to take his shoes off and go about in it barefoot. As he walked through it, inspecting the place for a possible exit, since the way he'd entered would be impossible to climb, he noticed large places where the grass was flattened, and in others, burnt.

Once more, he paused and glanced back the way he'd come with a slight shudder, looking at the smooth, steep slope of grass, and then at the ragged rock and boulders on either side that would have injured him severely if he had fallen down the wrong way. _"__Lucky break there," _he thought, a hint of relief and surprise in his eyes. As he delved deeper into the wide, naturally walled-off space, he came to a wide, deep, cool blue pool of water. Not a lake, but not exactly a pond either. As he looked down into the depths, he was suddenly struck by the queerness of this place.

It was beautiful, but it was absolutely empty. There were no birds, no animals, no bugs, nothing. It was a deafening silence, more fearsome than the silence on the ridge. Eustace glanced around with even more caution than before. As he glanced about, Arran's words that he'd overheard came to him, unsettling him even more. The sun beat down and grim peaks and horns of mountains peered over the valley's edge.

"I've simply come down the wrong way in the fog, now, if only I could find a way out of here," he said aloud to himself, trying to seem reassured even though he was scared out of his mind. "Well, before I do anything, I think I'd rather like a drink of that water, I'm beginning to feel parched," he remarked, heading straight toward the water.

Eustace cupped a third handful of water and started drinking it, when he heard a small sound behind him. He stopped drinking, listening like a deer to see if it would come again, glancing alertly about the valley. The noise, however small, was unusually loud here because of the utter silence and stillness. He finally gained his courage, counted to ten, and turned around to face whatever 'it' was that was making all the racket, prepared to run.

He gazed about furtively, and finally saw it, a smallish cave opening low to the ground in the rock wall. Around the mouth the rock had been scrapped white, and in some places looked as if it had been burnt. From this opening, two think columns of smoke were rising, and the stones and shale around the floor of the opening were shifting, hence the noise he had heard. Something was _moving_ out toward him. He backed up nervously, but fell over a small stone. There he stayed; watching to see what would emerge with horrified fascination.

Everyone he'd journeyed with would have told him at once what sort of beast it was that crawled out into the sunlight onto the grass of the valley. But Eustace had never read the right books, nor had he even listened much to any of the descriptions Arran had ever readily rattled off. He did not think the word 'Dragon' and perhaps its better he didn't, else he might have thought him in a worse situation than he was. As it were, he knew next to nothing about the beast slithering and clacking about the valley floor, if he had, he might have noticed that it was dying. That it was old. And that he had nothing to fear from the dragon itself, but from what it owned.

The black dragon moved slowly toward the pool of water that Eustace had momentarily been drinking from, and lowered its head in a graceful, serpentine manner to drink slowly and methodically from the pool. It raised its head, and glanced about in Eustace's direction. The boy thought it hadn't noticed him, but more than likely, it was too tired to care about fighting anyone any more. With a sigh, the beast spread his large, membrane riddled wings and flapped them once weakly, flattening the grass around its body. Folding them, the monster gave a groan, and collapsed, the smoke coming from his mouth and nostrils very faint now. His scale-armored chest heaved as he struggled to catch a simple breath.

Slowly, Eustace stood, understanding somehow that he didn't have to fear this Thing. The dragon's head rolled to one side, so in his last moments of life, he could regard this strange little being that had entered his domain mysteriously. A large, liquid eye regarded Eustace thoughtfully. A grunt that sounded strangely like indifference to Eustace came from the beast's throat, before it blinked once. A shudder ran through the dragon's body suddenly, from the tip of its tail to its snout, and then it stared unseeingly at Eustace with its large ember-colored iris. A cloud of black smoke came from its slightly open mouth, but no more followed. Instead a thin trickle of dark blood dripped into the dirt under its head.

_"__Should I run? But what if it's only shamming and it catches me as soon as I move?" _Eustace speculated with himself. He stood there for a long time, the sun beating down, making him thirsty once more. He resolved that the only way to get out of this valley and back to the _Dawn_ _Treader_ would be to move, and he _was_ terribly thirsty. So, slowly, he took one small pace forward, then, when nothing happened, he took two. At last, he reached the head of the monster. He noticed, as he stared down curiously into the red iris of its eye, was that all the fire had gone from it. Hesitantly, he reached out and laid a hand on the dragon's scaly shoulder.

With a start, he jumped back, just in case the beast was still alive, but nothing happened. The dragon was surely dead. More confident, he rested his hand on the cool black scales, which felt like some sort of masterfully crafted, fine metal. He stuck the tip of his finger under a scale, and realized that it was thicker than he'd thought, about two inches. Slowly, he began to almost feel as if he had killed this monster, and hadn't simply watched it die. Reassured that it was dead, he hopped over its neck near the base of its head, and moved to get another handful of water.

He looked up at the sky as a heavy peal of thunder echoed across the mountain ridges solemnly. As he took one last drink, the sun disappeared and large, heavy raindrops began falling steadily. Knowing he needed to find shelter, he decided to go into the cave, feeling really adventurous for the first time since he'd arrived in Narnia. He lay down – dripping wet – inside and tried to catch his breath from the mad dash across the open ground to the cave mouth.

As he lay there, however, he started to feel extremely uncomfortable on what he was lying, it didn't feel like rock or dirt, and when he put his hand on it, something made a metal clinking sound farther into the cave, as if it was sliding slightly under him. He looked down slowly, and by the dim light coming from the opening, he was able to discern what exactly, he had been sitting on. And, as everyone knows what dragons' keep (we've all been reading our literature I'm sure) he found himself looking upon all sorts of gold items; coins, crowns, cups, dishes, there were jewels; emerald encrusted scepters, large, loose, uncut gems rattling about under his feet, and so-forth.

Eustace had never thought much of treasure in his life, but, suddenly faced with this vast amount of wealth, ideas began coming to him, and he started getting… well, greedy. He realized that this would be his ticket to a better life in this country he'd fallen into from the picture in Lucy's room. With this vast store of wealth he believed he could live most comfortably, perhaps in Calormen, as that sounded the most normal of all these fairytale locations.

"Finally, a most favorable turn of events," he muttered, shoving some coins into his pockets and pushing a gold arm-band up his arm. He looked through not even half of the treasure in the cave, before feeling very tired, as usual when you've tumbled halfway down a mountain into a dragon's valley, with little to no hope of ever finding your way back to anything. He lay down in a more comfortable part of the cave and soon drifted off, even though he thought to just wait until the rain cleared. With a contented sigh, his eyes closed, just missing the green mist rising up from the gold and other trinkets.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Well? I'm rather impressed with this. I don't have much to say about it either, I think it's pretty self-explanatory. Arran's knowledge will come out eventually, and then he shall get to tell his brothers 'I told you so'. (sorry Eustace) lol. **

**I really enjoyed writing the scene where everyone is speculating on what happened to him. They're all just offering ideas on how he died, as if it's so certain that Eustace can't handle himself in Narnia. (what they've seen of him surely can't). **

**Eustace is sort of the Bilbo Baggins of Narnia I've come to realize. He starts off all "This is rot and trickery, I don't want an adventure" but eventually, he ends with a sword in his hand and bravely fighting for Narnia's freedom. I just realized that while I was writing this chapter. **

**He's all "And I missed them, with all my heart". **

**Just like Bilbo at the end of The Hobbit is all "Thorin was my friend". **

**Both miss their friends, and the adventures they went on. They always were ready for the next one after the first, however, which is just adorable in my opinion! Okay, okay, moving on, lol. **

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**I've got a _very_ good guess you're the 'guest' reviewer for chapter 23, so, all those questions asked will be answered here. (by the way, I had a wonderful independence day! Thank you for the goodwill)**

**About the naming of chapter 23: Yes, it is supposed to be "'Ware Dragons In The Storm". "'Ware" being short for "beware". It's basically Arran's words turned more memorable, more unique for the titling of chapter 23. I also titled it that because of this and coming chapters. And the fact that everyone must deal with their personal dragons.**

**Caspian and Susan are not mad at each other anymore, but things between them certainly aren't solved. I just felt that neither of them would actually apologize for what they said (Susan has some pride and so does Caspian), but they wouldn't continuously go about ignoring one another. That would be romance out the window, don't you agree? **

**I promise chapter after next will have mostly Lucy/Gavan (I feel I've not touched that romance enough, especially considering how important it is for following - **W.H don't give it away!** \- er, sorry there :). Yeah, I'll be getting back to them - for sure! **

**About Eustace's dragon change... You shall see my friend, you shall see... But let me just say this... I'm pretty sure you'll love it!**

* * *

**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...}. Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note.**

**Happy reading, **

**W.H. 1492**


	25. Not Always As We See

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Not Always As We See**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

"Something terrible has happened to him," Susan whispered to herself, looking up at the tall mountains that were being enveloped by storm clouds. Everyone, in light of the fact that Eustace – who was the least wandering sort of everyone in the crew and company – had wandered, voted that they all stay on the ship and keep the _Treader_ just off shore for the remainder of their stay on the lonely island. It was safer, and since everyone was beginning to think that perhaps Eustace had been eaten – ornery as he was – no one wanted to sleep onshore.

Currently the crew was gathering all the provisions, supplies and etcetera that had been brought ashore to be mended. Most of it had been repaired anyway. But since Eustace's disappearance and the coming storm, everything (and everyone, although none in this party would admit their fears) had to be got onboard that would be ruined or possibly lost.

"Susan, we don't know for certain that is true. Tomorrow we'll search again, since we'll be able to move further inland," Caspian said consolingly, coming to her side.

"Peter would not have blamed me either for Eustace's loss, but I worry. I feel just horrible, remembering the first time we came to Narnia, and Edmund left us. I blamed and judged Peter so harshly. I see now it was not his fault, he could not control another human being's desires or actions, and I should not have expected him to," Susan murmured, remembering her errors.

"'_Were we all perfect, it should be a dull world_'. Mistakes sometimes make us better, and I am coming to realize this," Caspian replied with a slight smile, thinking about several of his past erroneous actions.

"Since when have you taken up one of Edmund's books?" Susan asked, smiling herself as she looked over at him, her concern vanishing for the moment.

"Since we resided at Bernstead; I was able to obtain one of the translations and read a few pages of the book from Lord Bern's library before we departed. He has acquired over time all your brother's works. Someday I should very much like to read them," Caspian admitted, repeating to Susan what he had told the Lord.

"You should talk to Edmund about them; sometimes he would lock himself away in his study for days on end to write the books. I believed – and still do – that they were his escape from the guilt. He never let it consume him, but I felt he always bore it silently. I have yet to read better written volumes." Susan's quiet voice was filled with admiration and respect.

"I did not think him to be a writer when I first saw him," Caspian remarked, as they turned and began walking back to the ship.

"I know, neither did any of us, but back then, then he was. His words held such a… _weight_. We were a marvelous diplomatic team. In England, his true character is hidden, I think. Lucy tells me Edmund hardly writes except when he must. I wish that would change, he has so much wisdom that could make that world a better place," Susan mused thoughtfully, glancing up at the darkening sky as the clouds rolled in, bringing with them ominous sounding thunder.

"I think we all have that ability. Some just don't use it. But your brother does, I think one just has to find reason first – to keep going – otherwise you feel that it is meaningless and profitless to try," Caspian reflected. As they lapsed into silence, Drinian called for Caspian. Susan watched him go, wondering if what he had said was also some of what he felt and thought.

"Aslan help us all," Susan whispered, desperately hoping they would not fall into some dark void and be lost to their fears and trepidations.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

While everyone was concerned about him, Eustace slept, and slept, _and_ _slept_. The storm passed, and evening fell. Soon enough, the full moon rose into the midnight blue sky, which was pinpricked with dazzling stars and constellations. The storm had made everything clear and crisp, though wet. Perhaps Eustace would have never woken, but a pain in his arm disturbed his unusual slumber. As the full moon had risen over the mountains, it shone down through the cave opening, causing some of the jewels and wealth to glitter or shine in its silvery light.

The little bed he'd made of treasure seemed to have grown softer since he'd fallen asleep. In fact, he could hardly feel it at all. The pain he felt in his arm puzzled him at first, until he realized that it had to be that the bracelet had somehow become tighter on his arm. He resolved that he must have gotten bitten or stung by something in his sleep and he arm and swollen. But when he went to pull the golden object off, a great echoing clatter came from his right side.

A bit nervous, he looked hesitantly to his right as he tried to move his arm again. What he saw would have caused anyone to scream, but he was in such shock that he couldn't. A large, dark, claw-like form was moving in the light of the moon. He knew what sort of beast that came from; the same thing dead outside. A dragon. He stopped moving his hand, scared that the beast would attack him. As soon as he did so, the claw ceased all movement.

_"__What an idiot I've made of myself, of course the monster had to have a mate that's come in since I've fallen asleep!" _he berated his foolishness and lack of foresight. _"Well then, I'll just slink off to the left and be free of the beast!" _he decided, quietly praising himself for his genius.

But when he eased to his left, he was horrified to see that something moved from that side as well. He stopped moving, trying to think logically instead of becoming a nervous wreck. When he held his breath, thinking, the two small columns of smoke before his eyes vanished. When he finally had to breathe again, they returned. Every time he so much as moved an inch, something went rattling off into the dark. Eustace now thought that there were two dragons, one on each side of him. As time went on, slowly, a dim light began to shine at the edge of the cave opening. Eustace knew that if he was to get away from the beasts, he would have to run toward the cave opening as fast as possible.

He counted to three, and then dashed as fast as he could for the mouth of the cave. His goal was to run to the pool and jump into it to keep the monsters from following him and possibly eating him. As he ran, two things suddenly occurred to him. One: that he was running on all fours. The second came to him when he reached the water's edge. As he looked into it, about to dive in, he caught a glimpse of something. Staring back at him was the reflection of a dragon, nearly identical in form to the same beast lying dead not far away. It hit him like a lightning bolt. He pulled away from the water in horrified shock.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

After the rest of the supplies that had been gathered from the island and the repairs finished, everyone went out in search of Eustace. They searched and searched, but there was no sign on him, they realized they were going to have to start resigning themselves to his loss. The parties returned to the beach feeling rather frustrated and dejected. They knew they could not leave, for what if Eustace was alive? But they knew they could not stay, for Aslan had given them permission to find the edge of the world, not stay on some abandoned island searching for a child who should not have run off in the first place.

Drinian had already ordered the men to haul out the sail and prepare the _Treader_ for sailing, so it was only the Pevensies and Caspian, who refused to admit Eustace was lost, that was keeping them from sailing with the tide and the wind. Onshore, they stared at one another in a rag-tag circle, unwilling to speak what they were all thinking.

"Well, if he wandered up into the mountains, it's nothing short of a miracle for him to survive the night," Rhince began slowly.

"Yes, we know," Caspian said slowly, motioning with his hand for the sailor to stop. He had not slept well the night before, wondering where the boy could have wondered off to, and he was in low spirits as well. He was tired of having nightmares that only grew worse with each passing day.

"Oh cousin, I never should have left him," Edmund muttered under his breath, staring off into the hills and cliffs with a faraway expression.

"It's not your fault," Caspian tried to reassure the young man.

"No, you don't understand, none of you do!" Edmund practically shouted. They all turned to him, confused. "I should have known, I should have seen the signs!" He berated himself, rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke in chagrin.

"What do you mean Edmund?" Lucy asked, taking a small step toward her brother.

"It's his first time in Narnia, Lu. How has Eustace always acted towards us? Toward all the Pevensies of Finchley?" He asked, staring her in the eye.

"He hates us, but I don't think–"

"That's right, _you_ didn't think, _I_ didn't think – I didn't _see_! And how did I act my first time in Narnia? I do believe I hated the lot of you, couldn't wait to be rid of you; in fact I was nearly willing to have you all be my personal slaves. I should have seen it, should have realized it after Coriakin said it. Eustace has been tempted, and he's gone, to what lesser fate than being trapped on an empty island, I don't know. He was so like me, I cannot believe I was so blind!" Edmund turned away and walked a pace down the beach; hand on his hilt, shoulders tense with aggravation and frustration at himself.

"Why did none of us notice?" Susan whispered, watching her brother walk along the shoreline, the wind blowing some strands of her hair across her forehead. Edmund's words had hit her like a revelation. It made more sense, Eustace's sudden disappearance.

"He should not blame himself," Caspian said firmly, walking after Edmund, something of determination in his stride. He knew what it felt like to hold blame, and it was not right, especially like this. Just and wise king that Edmund was, he could not carry all the pain of the world.

"Caspian, perhaps–" Drinian began, but Susan grabbed his arm to still his forward motion. He looked back at the Queen.

"No, let him talk with Edmund, this is something… I think they both understand." She lifted her gaze from Drinian's, and watched her husband walked after her brother along the edge of the bay.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Eustace cried out, but it was not the sound of a terrified boy that echoed through the valley, but of a dragon, and the sound was fearsome, not fearful. Eustace shook his head wildly; the reflection staring back at him shook its massive head as well. But there was no denying the truth; he had turned into a dragon while he'd slept. Sleeping on the hoard of enchanted dragon's gold and treasure with greedy dragonish thoughts in his mind, he had become a dragon himself. This explained everything that had just happened. It had _not_ been two dragons in the cave; it had been merely himself, his claws moving when he had moved them, his smoke curling up from his nose when he breathed.

As for the ache in his arm, he could see now by turning his head on his long neck, that the bracelet made for a human arm would not fit on the foreleg of a dragon. In spite of this pain, and his fear at what would happen to him now, the greatest thing he felt was relief. There was no longer anything to fear, he was the most fearsome, dangerous creature ever to be wished into existence, and nothing, except perhaps a knight – not that many of those were ever brave enough – could put an end to him. The vanity and glory of a dragon's mind; that they are unconquerable. Because they breathe fire, their scales are like the finest of armors, and they are nearly immortal, they believe they cannot be defeated.

But even as he was thinking about everyone whom he could make pay for their cruelty to him, he suddenly realized that he did not want to. He realized that he would be feared, and that he could no longer be a part of the humankind. He was a monster. A great, aching loneliness crept over him. In a farther part of his conscience, he understood why the dead dragon had looked at him as he had, Eustace, even for so short a time, was company to be with in a painful passage. Also now, with the wisdom that comes along with a dragon's vanity and greed, he realized that Caspian and Edmund were decent people, and that none of the Narnians were as fiendish as he had thought them.

It was he who had been the fiend, the selfish brat who had only thought of himself. He finally understood Arran's dislike. The thought hit him that he might never return to his friends, or England, and that he would have to spend the rest of his life alone on this deserted island. Perhaps we cannot blame him of his tears. As the sun rose, Eustace eventually subsided from them, and came to the idea that he should try to find his friends, even if Arran or the others did try to kill him. As he lowered his head to take a large draught of water, he realized with greater perception that Caspian would never had sailed without him.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Edmund, you cannot blame yourself for what has happened, it will come to nothing except bitterness and ruin. I have not seen all that you have, nor experienced half of what is yours, but this I understand. You cannot carry a burden that is not yours to bear," Caspian said when he reached the young man. Edmund did not turn to face the king, but he did stop his stride. With a sigh he bowed his head.

"I know you are right in what you say, but Caspian, you have never stood where I am. I am a failed man only in my place because of death and redemption. Death and redemption from Aslan. Do you know the meaning of the word "justice", Caspian?" Edmund turned his head a fraction to speak over his shoulder.

"To show no partiality," he answered, wondering what Edmund was trying to tell him.

"No. Justice, being 'Just', is knowing what I was, knowing I deserve nothing but death and separation from everything, Aslan, my family, this world, but that Aslan died so I might not taste that bitterness that is just and fair punishment. I am just because I know what I deserve, but have been saved from that fate. That is the only reason I am here today. And I should have seen Eustace in a different light, as Peter asked me to. I should have, as the adult, as the king. But I was so blinded by disgust and self-pity that I did not see another's crumbling, downward spiraling path. My temptation was my willful ignorance, and if that is not it, then I don't know what else is for me but to be lost on this voyage entirely," Edmund finished with a sigh.

"And so, you are the Just King," Caspian remarked aloud, finally understanding Edmund's title in full. "But what has transpired here is nothing you could prevent. What Eustace did was not something you could foresee. I do not think that even if any one of us had known, we could have prevented his running off. We are kings, but the fate of others is not always ours to collect. We all have freewill, Edmund, what we do with it; I think Aslan lets us decide." Caspian smiled slightly when Edmund looked at him.

Edmund smiled as well, his mood lightening. "Even I must have more than my own council. Who would think that a King of Old should be taking the advice of one who is merely a child in the light of all his years?" Edmund teased lightly.

"I think only in this aspect is that true. I won't let that compliment go to my head. It should make me foolish," Caspian returned, spirits lightening considerably as they jested.

"Good man," Edmund answered, grinning broadly, "Because to test my knowledge would soon find you with a more skillful opponent than the play-fight on the _Treader_ last month."

"I cannot argue that," Caspian admitted good-naturedly, walking alongside Edmund as they turned back to where the others were standing.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Eustace, in typical dragon fashion, gorged his hungry stomach on the dead Black Dragon. It was gruesome, but he only thought of the fact after he'd eaten his fill. It came to him that his must be the reason there was only one dragon in the few fairytales he'd ever heard, because a dragon loved eating fresh dragon. As he ran toward the cliffs, intending to climb out with his new claws, the breeze caught under the edges of his wings, which he had quite forgotten. With a hard push upward, he found himself airborne. Just to see how it felt, he gave a powerful roar, and spit a few hundred feet of flame.

As he ended fire, he realized that he might be able to burn something into the earth – he'd tried and found he couldn't speak, since he hadn't been born a dragon, he was mute – so that he could communicate. As he flew above the mountains, looking for a clear spot of land on which to write – or in his dragon case, burn – he noticed the _Dawn_ _Treader_ anchored somewhat out into the bay, and that the mountains spread out in vast directions. Far in the distance, however, he could see even plains of land. But all he really needed currently was a valley little bigger than the one he had left.

Suddenly, he spied one. Twisting in the air toward it – dragons, even ones who were not always dragons, are excellent flyers – he spiraled down to burn the words he needed to speak into the earth.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Come, we've searched as long as we can. We must sail with the tide," Drinian said, his voice sympathetic as he spoke to the monarchs, Serene, and the Stars, who were reluctant to end the search for Eustace.

"May Aslan keep Eustace always between his noble paws," Reep declared, resting his own paw on his hilt and bowing slightly toward the mountains.

"I never really hated the little bugger, reminded me of myself sometimes," Arran admitted to himself aloud. He bowed his head as he turned to walk down the beach to the boats, keeping the sunlight out of his eyes.

"Aunt Alberta will have something to say, I'm certain," Susan remarked aloud as Drinian helped her into one of the boats along with Lucy and Gael.

"Please, I cannot bear to think of _that_ now," Lucy said softly, trying to hold her tears back.

"It will be all right Lucy, Aslan will think of something," Susan reassured, resting her hand on her sister's shoulder comfortingly, recalling when Lucy had done the same for her not long ago in Narrowhaven.

"Drinian, let us search, one last time, before we return to the ship, if only to convince _me_ he's truly gone," Edmund requested, coming to the captain where he was standing holding a whispered conference with Caspian.

"It seems I am outvoted then, as King Caspian was asking the self-same question," Drinian allowed, smiling understandingly at Edmund.

"Then we go with you." the Stars came forward quickly.

"No, there's no need. This is only for our state of mind, and not a thorough search, since we did that this morning," Caspian said.

"Fine then, but if you do not come back within the hour, we send search parties after _you_," Arran replied sternly.

"Thirty minutes?" Caspian smiled, letting the Star give him orders this once.

"Agreeable," Arran answered, seeming to not even realize he was giving orders to the king of Narnia.

Caspian and Edmund turned and walked back up the shore and toward the pine trees with five sailors, for one last sweep of the island to rest their conscious.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Eustace blazed upward into the sky to look at his handiwork. He gave a small guttural sound low in his throat of pleasure. Besides a bit of unsteadiness, it was not bad pen– firemanship, he thought to himself. Giving a fearsome roar, he cleaved the early morning sky, blue and cloudless after the rain of the night before, with his large wings. His destination: the bay.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Drinian and Arran stood next to the helm, discussing the wind and how much of a favorable tide was left. The sailors were scurrying about the deck placing things under secure ropes or finishing placing supplies into the hold. Gael and Lucy were talking, as they walked along the railing and stared at the island before them.

"Lucy, wh-what is that?" Gael asked, pointing to something glowing just above the tops of the trees as Caspian, Edmund and the five sailors who had accompanied them emerged from the tree line.

"Lord Drinian, what is that?" Lucy called out with worry, drawing almost everyone's attention to shore. Her brother and brother-in-law were on the beach with what looked like a volcano erupting in the distance.

"Is it a volcano?" Gael cried fearfully. Susan turned a horrified gaze on the captain.

Before he spoke, Arran rushed to the rail. He glanced at Drinian. "Oh no, that's no volcano," the pirate said, his voice steely with hate. Drinian met his gaze knowingly.

"Archers, arm yourselves, men, find a weapon!" the Galmanian ordered, rushing to the rail and leaning over it slightly as he shouted commands to the crew.

"Captain, what is it?" Susan walked quickly up the rail, followed by Serene.

"A dragon M'lady," Drinian admitted, his voice mixed with regret and tension. She caught herself before she cried out, composing herself, she turned to Serene, her sister, and Gael, who had not heard.

"Lucy, take Gael to the cabin. Watch Rilian for me as well. I must get my bow," Susan said calmly, but her eyes told Lucy what was wrong. The younger queen nodded and began taking Gael down the steps. Susan turned to Serene as soon as they were out of earshot. "How well do you think you could use your powers to battle a dragon?" she asked.

"I have never tried such a thing, but I believe I could," Serene replied.

"Good, I'm sure the Stars will help," Susan answered, walking quickly to go retrieve her bow. But as she turned her back to the island, a loud animalistic screech filled the air, filling her with dread. She had prayed countless nights to never hear that sound again. She whirled around sharply, watching the dragon sweep down over the trees towards those on shore, and in the direction of the ship.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Edmund and Caspian walked down the slight slope of the beach as they made their way to the boats. "At least we tried," Caspian said quietly, resting his hand on Edmund's shoulder.

"It can't ever be enough," Edmund said knowingly. Caspian nodded, bowing his head slightly as Edmund walked down to the boat. All the men on the beach whirled as a screeching cry filled the air. The Dragon flew low to the ground, Caspian dropped to his knees just in time to avoid being knocked off his feet by the living battering ram.

"Edmund!" He cried, warning all the sailors and his friend to duck as well. They did, barely getting missed by the stream of fire the Dragon spit as it headed towards the ocean and the _Dawn_ _Treader_.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Everyone onboard shifted nervously as the dragon headed toward them, bellowing fiercely. "Steady!" Drinian shouted to little avail as the Dragon flew around the ship. "Archers, fire at the ready!" He shouted, lowering his arm as the beast came at them.

"That's useless! He's not a bird, he's a _Dragon_, and it's like throwing rocks at a boulder!" Arran shouted, unsheathing his sword and heading toward the mast as the beast alighted on it.

The ship rocked back and forth as the mast groaned under the firedrake's weight. "He'll break the mast!" Drinian shouted, rushing to his feet.

"What's it doing?" Lucy cried, grabbing Gael and trying to reach the cabin once more.

Reepicheep recovered from the swaying on the ship quickly, remembering another fight similar to this. "Right!" he decided, putting his blade between his teeth as he moved to scurry up the ropes to the sail that the dragon was perched upon. Arran jumped up from a pile of supplies that had fallen on top of him. He glanced at Reep as he grabbed for a rope as well. The pirate and the Mouse reached the sail at the same time, but, before Arran could use his sword, the dragon shifted, trying to keep from falling, and his tail knocked Arran off.

Reep saw his chance and lunged, his sword plunging between two scales on the dragon's right fore claw and piercing the sensitive skin underneath. "Take that!" he shouted rather breathlessly as the dragon lost his place and plummeted towards the ocean. With a cry, the beast fell into the water. Everyone began leaning over the edge to see. Horrified fascination I call it.

"Get back, get away!" Arran and Reep both shouted, and not a moment too soon, for as everyone turned to look at them curiously, the dragon emerged from the deep with a screech of frustration, and headed back toward the land.

"Told you," Arran declared with a self-satisfactory smile, sheathing his sword. He and the Mouse were wet from the Dragon's spray, but were surprisingly calm after all that had transpired.

"What do we do now?" Susan asked, coming up. For all that had happened, she still commanded an air of dignified regality.

"I don't–" Arran began, but what was happening on shore stopped his sentence.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Caspian breathed a sigh of relief when the dragon passed back over the hills, away from both the beach and the ship. Neither he nor the others heard the wind whistling under the firedrake's wings until it was upon them. Only when its shadow had almost overtaken him, did he realize. Once again, he ducked to the sand. But others were not so unfortunate.

Edmund turned just as the dragon reached the boats. Before he could react, it snatched him off the ground as if he weighed no more than a bag of sugar. The wind from its wings knocked all the sailors off their feet, some falling into the water.

"Edmund, Ed!" Caspian shouted, but it did no good, Edmund was being carried over the treetops and back into the mountains.

From the ship, faint cries could be heard, but the loudest was Lucy's despairing "Edmund!"

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Edmund struggled in the Dragon's claws, which were holding him surprisingly gently, but he found that he could not reach his sword. He decided to try reasoning with the firedrake, when something caught his eye on a valley floor they were flying over. The words were all written in capital letters.

'I AM EUSTACE'

"Oh no, you've got to be joking," Edmund muttered, thinking that the dragon, like all of the other firedrakes he'd met, wanted to tease him before he ate him. But as he spoke, the beast bent and twisted its neck to look him in the eye. The eyes were an unusual blue for a dragon, and there was something startling familiar about them. Flecks of green and gold were in them, and Edmund suddenly recalled Eustace telling him not long after they'd arrived at the Scrubb's house that his eyes were 'hazel', and not 'blue'.

"Is that really you?" Edmund whispered in amazement and relief. The dragon nodded slowly, before turning his head to fly back to the beach. Even for the circumstances, Edmund had never been happier in his life to see someone, except perhaps for when Peter returned from the war in the West.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"It's really you, Eustace? The whining boy I fished out of the water, who nearly tried to drown me?" Arran asked, looking the dragon over carefully as he spoke, slight disbelief in his voice. Dragon-Eustace nodded quickly, leaning ever so slightly closer. It was the first time since he'd been here that he'd ever been glad to hear Arran speak to him.

"Not that close yet, you'll take some getting used to," Arran requested, taking a step back, hands before him. Eustace nodded slowly, his keen dragon-mind recalling the tales Arran had told of his battles with a dragon long ago. The pirate walked away from Eustace and joined the group slightly down the incline talking over what to do with him.

"Do you know if there's any way we could change him back?" Lucy asked aloud.

Caspian looked up, glancing at Arran's brothers and Serene. "They've said they don't know, and neither do I," he answered.

"Well we can't bring him on board, Your Majesties," Drinian began, when he noticed the monarchs about to speak. At his words they all exhaled, since that was what they were about to suggest.

"Yes, he'd probably weigh too much, and just think of the task of shifting the cargo and ballast to keep her afloat." Rynelf, who was second mate, added. At his words, Caspian gave a frustrated sound, running his fingers through his hair.

"But we can't leave him here, we've got to think of what to do," Gavan argued.

"Dragons can swim," Arran said thoughtfully, glancing back at Eustace. But no one listened to him. Reep looked up at Arran skeptically as the pirate looked down.

"They're powerful flyers, I'm certain he could go the distance," Reep remarked when it was mentioned that Eustace might not be able to keep up with them, but he was ignored as well.

"How are we ever going to bring him home? Aunt Alberta would not be pleased!" Edmund spoke his thoughts aloud, beginning to ponder that angle as well, a slight look of horror coming over his face when he imagined what she'd do and say. From behind them, Eustace grunted sarcastically. Clearly, he'd already thought that out.

"Well if you would _listen_, you might garner some answers from some who know dragons!" Arran declared, raising his voice to be heard over the quarrelers. Everyone, including his brothers, turned to look at Arran and Reep.

"What?" They exclaimed at nearly the same time.

"Somehow, he was enchanted, that is usually dragon-gold that does that. Then perhaps we could find a cure if he wasn't tempted and it was only dragon-gold that changed him. I'm not saying there is one, just that we might have a chance. Also, we could spend a night ashore, who would dare attack a dragon, small as Eustace is?" Behind the pirate, Eustace growled at being called 'small'.

"Deal with it Eustace, you are the smallest dragon I've seen yet, and I've seen several!" Arran retorted. "I've also never seen a dragon his color, which makes me think that this enchantment can be broken."

"But you've no provisions, and no means of staying warm Your Majesties!" Rhince objected. The days were warm on this island, but the nights were cool.

Eustace gave a screech-like roar and dove among the people toward some driftwood. Without warning he spit fire at it, and it lit like a Christmas tree.

"You were saying?" Reep remarked with a chuckle, looking around. Everyone laughed, which felt good to do after so many days worrying. As Eustace stepped back, looking triumphant, pleased that he was finally getting along with them, and that they weren't angry at him, he wince, and uttered a low moan. With a snarl, he bit at the bracelet that was gouging his thick hide. The gold band had broken when he'd changed, but he could not get it off.

Arran walked up to him as he scratched at the object furiously. "May I," the Star reached out toward Eustace's foreleg. He recoiled slightly, his dragon side suspicious of him. Then, scared because he felt this nagging urge to spit fire at Arran, he held out his foreleg, repressing the urge. The Star stared at it for several minutes, walking to the left and right to look at it from all angles. "This will hurt," he remarked, abruptly tilting his face to meet Eustace's eyes.

_"__I'm going to use magic, and it will be painful, don't bite." _

Eustace took a step-hop back from Arran. Looking more suspicious, he thought; _"Why can I hear you as if you're speaking to me?" _

_"__I'm more powerful than my brothers, but besides that, you've now got more magic in your blood than you would think. You can talk with me and I with you because of the magic. Do you understand?" _ Arran stared into Eustace's eyes with a gaze that began to make him uncomfortable.

_"__Yes, but stop staring will you? It's bothering me." _

_"__Sorry, Dragons, nymphs, dryads and the like notice Stars staring more than mortals, I sometimes forget that dragons have a higher perception than most mythical or mortal beings," _Arran apologized, shrugging slightly, turning his gaze back on the bracelet.

_"__Why do you do that?" _Eustace asked, curious now.

_"__I don't know, but I do know that when we do, we can almost see a mortal's aura, or, spirit, whatever you like to call it. I can see what lies in your soul, for good or for evil. I have not told my brothers this, they will learn soon enough, however. A young Star cannot do this, it is a learned talent," _Arran explained, lightly touching the gold.

_"__Edara morla brisna" _Arran was not speaking, but Eustace could hear the words; it was like they were being sung, far away; cold, distant, but silvery and beautiful. A light glow emanated from Arran's hands, but Eustace was too engrossed in hearing Arran think, whisper, or whatever he was doing, to feel much of the pain. The gold bent and the bracelet fell off into Arran's hands.

_"__What did those words mean?" _Eustace asked as soon as Arran had returned, after giving the broken bracelet to Lucy, who walked off to show the strange markings on it to everyone else.

_"__What… words?" _Arran's head jerked up from inspecting the indentions on Eustace's foreleg, and he stared hard into Eustace's hazel eyes, his turn to be suspicious.

_"__The ones you used to bend the gold," _Eustace clarified.

_"__You heard me?" _Arran's voice inside Eustace's mind sounded surprised.

_"__Yes." _

_"__Very well, they were the same words Aslan used when he sung the gold under Narnia into existence. In the heavens, we Stars still speak the tongue of Aslan. These words are sometimes acquired and then learned by mortals or people with slight special power, becoming what you call 'magic'. A Star is born knowing these words; they are a part of him, just as he is a part of the sky. We do not necessarily 'speak' or 'think' them, we almost __**feel**__ them. The only difficulty is learning the correct words. My father taught myself, and my older brother and my other brother, Erikk. Gavin and Zephyr, and my sister, Moriah, they know, but only so much. A learned skill, remember that before you go blurting words in Davanrata, or the Silver Tongue," _Arran reprimanded, knowing that like any one, Eustace would want to try to use them, especially since he was a Dragon, and the words were open for him to discover.

_"__I see," _Eustace answered, although he truly didn't, not really anyway. But after all that had happened to him, he knew he would not be using Davanrata for anything. Arran grinned, before turning and walking away.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Eustace had gone the rest of the day being helpful, finding better supplies, such as animals to eat, wood for the fire, to leading Edmund, Caspian, Arran and Serene to the dragon cave. After looking at the eaten Black Dragon, Arran determined that it too, had once been human, even though it bore the scale-color of the Black Dragons from the West. The point was proven when, after stepping inside the cave, a faint humming was heard. Both Caspian's sword – Rhindon – and Edmund's blade from Lord Bern began to glow.

"What is that?" Edmund asked, glancing at the others.

"Magic," both Arran and Serene said at the same time, in odd half-whispers. Arran walked deeper into the cave. And there, lying next to some armor and a scabbard, was a sword, glowing red as blood in the darkness of the cavern.

Caspian walked forward and picked it up. "By the mark on the bracelet around Eustace's arm, we reasoned that it was Lord Octesian who stopped here. This must be the blade he stole from the tomb." The King turned to look at the Star and the enchantress as he spoke.

"Yes, Jaddai's sword, the last Guardian seen in Narnia," Serene agreed, coming forward and lightly pressing a finger down the blade's flat. Under her fingertip, the sword flashed a deeper red. "Jaddai knew magic, and her sword responds to mine. Forgive me, for I am not your mistress," Serene whispered, taking the blade from Caspian and gently stroking it, as if it were a lost cat or frightened child.

"Forgive me for saying this, Edmund, but your wife is an odd woman." Caspian watched Serene as she walked ahead of them, still talking aloud.

"She is magic, and what is not magic of her, is Narnian, True Narnian," Edmund answered, smiling at Caspian's observation. "She hears things more clearly than we mortals ever shall," Edmund explained, shrugging slightly in acceptance.

"Of course, for instance, she and I both can hear that blade's magic talk," Arran butted in to the conversation.

"Arran, you're beginning to scare me," Caspian declared dryly as they made their way out of the cave and back to Eustace, who would not reenter the cavern for all the gold in Lumea.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

That evening, however, was another matter. Eustace, now with time to think, and with everyone asleep, began to go over and over all that had happened, and realized that things were looking rather bleak, and he might never become human again. He was slowly admitting to himself that he would soon start to have to resign himself to living out his days in Narnia. He didn't want to think it, because then he might really be frightened, but deep in his conscious, he was scared. As he lay there, staring out across the darkened waves, several large tears rolled from his eyes and fell with a steamy hiss into a small puddle of dragon-tears on the ground. He gave a shuddering sigh, trying to control himself.

Reep, who had been curled up next to the fire for some added warmth, perked up when he heard the little moan, he knew it was coming from no one else but Eustace. "Hmm," he mused, rising to his feet, a mousy smile on his face. He walked over to the dragon's head quietly, careful not to draw attention. He noticed the tears falling down the scales.

"Trouble sleeping?" he asked in a fatherly tone, reaching out his paw as if to touch Eustace. The dragon regarded him with a large blue eye; once more understanding the dead dragon's lack of interest. He wanted company, but he wanted silence too.

"Don't weep, all's not as lost as it seems," Reep tried once more, coming closer. "I'll stay up with you if you wish… Keep you company, I can't sleep myself." It wasn't true, Reep – a rather old mouse by now and beginning to feel his years – was tired, but he saw someone in need, and was willing to help. Eustace stifled his tears slightly.

"And I shall wager you didn't believe in dragons yesterday evening," the Mouse remarked softly, chuckling. "_Yes_… You know, extraordinary things only happen to extraordinary people. Maybe it's a sign… Perhaps this means you have an extraordinary destiny," Reep paused and looked at the stars for an instant, before carefully turning and keeping Eustace's large dragon-teeth and eyes in sight. "Something… Well, something even greater than you could have imagined. Everything is… not always… as we see." He smiled, adjusting his sword belt as he spoke, uncertain of Eustace's staring.

"I could… Well, I could tell you one or two of my adventures if you like," Reep offered slowly, gesturing with his paw. Eustace perked up, raising his head slightly as he moved into a more comfortable position. "Just to pass the time," Reep waited until Eustace had gotten more comfortable, and then he continued, "Believe it or not, you're not the first dragon I've encountered. Many years ago – too many that I care to mention – I was with a band of pirates, when I met another dragon, much fiercer than you.

"He was large and black; Arran told me he was one of the last great Black Firedrakes of the West. We were going to Orin Island, but were far out to sea, so we had to make a stop, but I wasn't so cautious, and went too far inland. There, I found a cave. High on a mountain it was, but back then I was a curious thing…" The Mouse and the Dragon-boy stared at the stars and the half-moon that was reflecting on the ocean as Reep told of his adventure.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"**_Two things prevent us from happiness; living in the past, and observing others."_** ~ Unknown

_"__Too often we don't realize what we have until it's gone. Too often we're too stubborn to say, 'Sorry, I was wrong." Too often it seems we hurt the ones closest to our hearts, and we let the most foolish things tear us apart."_ ~ Unknown

**_"_****_Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny."_** ~ S.C Lewis

**"****Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly."** ~ Micah 6:8

**"****Helping others is a privilege, and an honor." **~ Unknown

"When Life puts you in tough situations, don't say 'Why me?' say; 'Try me!'" ~ Unknown

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**A/N: **

**Well, hello everyone! I feel that this is a particularly good morning to be good on and I'm wishing all of you a 'good-morning' whether you want it or not! (take that Gandalf). Turns out I like The Hobbit bit better than I like lotr, but hey, I have read that book (must finish lotr, but I can't, alas and alack, I'm too busy writing this and doing work, just can't divide the time!)**

**Wait - where was I? Right! Sorry, I am supposed to be doing an A/N, not blathering on about Hobbits and the like (sorry, I've been reading an especially good Hobbit fanfic, love it, you should go check it out if you're a Tolkien fan as well as a Lewis one, I believe it's called 'Durin's Price'. Pretty sure, I never forget names). **

**Ok, major explaining to do here. One, my internet is back, but only in the morning between 7 and nine a.m. so this is a sporadic UD because I've finished this chapter and because I just want it out there. I will go back to UDing on Tuesdays, promise! This week has just been odd. **

**Now, for explanations: **

**Yes, I touched on Edmund's writing capabilities again, trying to keep my plot in uniform since I'm trying to wrap this story up (not 'yet' yet, but, well, it's coming, darn, now I've gotta start talking about endings...). **

**I thought the similarities between Eustace and Edmund were fascinating. And I realized (even if the directors and actors didn't and weren't trying to put it in, Jack was) that Edmund should have been putting aside his normal human tendencies and emotions, to look at Eustace unbiased. He should have been considerate and kind to Eustace as Peter told him to be. Hence the reason I put it in my story. **

**I also realized that, since Edmund really wasn't tempted by the treasure and Caspian was (in the book not the film, don't go looking for this in the film) then his true temptations would have been willful ignorance of Eustace's predicament. **

**I think that Jack didn't touch much on dragons because of Tolkien's 'Hobbit' and the fact that his dragon was cunning, smart and so forth. **

**Edmund's explanation of Just and Justice: This explanation came from my dad one evening. I was so stunned by how perfectly it fit Edmund. It was totally unrelated, and my dad was speaking about a passage in the scriptures. Yet another beautiful Christian allegory for Chronicles of Narnia! **

**But I always thought that Edmund, with his wisdom, would have known later in his rule that Aslan died for him (since it says in the first book the his sisters didn't tell him because he'd feel awful about it). Edmund knows what justice is, and therefore, to fail so utterly in it, to show partiality to himself and his dislike of Eustace, it was a low blow. **

**I like the fact that Caspian comes to talk to him about it instead of any of his sisters. I'm trying to bring in the fact that he's family now, and they don't think anything wrong with it. But I'm also trying to bring about the fact that Edmund carries guilt, as I think that Caspian also carries some as well for his father's death. I don't know, you help me clarify that a bit more, try and see if it makes a bunch of sense to you.**

**The phrase 'lit like a Christmas tree' probably means to you guys 'when you decorate it and then put the lights on it', am I right? For my family, it means something totally different. (Mom won't let dad get live trees for this reason) It was Christmas, and they'd gotten me a live tree because I wanted one. So, after Christmas, you know how trees start looking a bit sad? well Dad took ours, chopped it into three pieces and stuffed it in the fireplace (he'd done this once with live garlands at his old catering job and the result was his family didn't let him do that one again! lol) So now he tries it again. With a tree. _MY_ tree. (at least that's what I thought at the time) It works, and the tree just goes up in flames.**

**So when we say; "lit like a Christmas tree" we mean: "catches fire rather quickly. **

**You tell me how the quotes apply! I want to here your ideas and thoughts! Well, I'm going to go finish chapter 26, see ya'll later. (sorry I cut that off, it's just, this chapter is 7000+ words, and with my A/N I just made it 8000+)**

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**I read your review, and I mended the errors! I'm glad you enjoyed the previous chapter, and hope you enjoy this one!**

* * *

**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...}. Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note.**

**Happy reading, **

**W.H. 1492**


	26. These Small Hours

**Chapter Twenty-Six: These Small Hours**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

The following day, when everyone woke, no one wanted to speak of what was to be done. Serene and the Stars had talked, and tried several spells or incantations, but nothing worked to change Eustace's dragon form. It only made everyone in a darker mood when they came upon no way for him to possibly come with them. Eustace came to the understanding that he had been an unmitigated nuisance since first he'd come aboard, but now he was doubly so. The only good that came of the day was exploring the island, or Dragon Island as everyone agreed it should be called.

It was a large island, almost large enough to be called a continent. Everyone had battered about on what to call it, but in the end, it was Eustace who hit upon the perfect idea to name the land. He chose it, and everyone agreed he had the best rights over all of them. So Dragon Island it was. When Drinian and Caspian removed their maps from the _Treader's_ chart room to mark off the land, Eustace came forward and helped with the rest of the island, since he had flown around it several times, hoping to be able to help with exactly this. The day would have been wonderful, everyone agreed as they got ready for the coming night, had they found a cure for their dragon.

Since Eustace was a dragon, he was of some small use now. He could haul heavy loads, and start fires. This new Eustace was eager to be of service. He had changed considerably in the past few days, and everyone saw it and remarked upon it. It was good to see him so chipper and eager. Also since he had become a dragon, he watched everyone more closely now, and sensing small things. He understood better, and perceived more than he had before. He had never accepted Susan as his cousin, and had always thought Edmund and Lucy daft for suggesting such a thing. But now, now he agreed and believed it. He accepted it.

As he was watching them, Arran came up beside him. Over the two days they'd been on Dragon Island, the Star had become slightly more comfortable around him, and they talked more – if you could really call it talking. _"Who are you watching?" _Arran asked as he stopped beside Eustace, his hand easily resting on his tasseled sword hilt.

_"__My cousins and Caspian. I never thought about it before, but I suppose that Susan must have loved him very much to stay here in Narnia," _Eustace reflected, watching Susan sit next to Caspian and the King put his arm around her.

_"__Yes. Love is a remarkable thing. You finally accept that she is your cousin?" _Arran wondered, turning to glance sidelong at Eustace.

_"__I realized that I was rather an idiot up to now. I just didn't want to see what was true. Sorry?" _Eustace lifted his head from the ground and looked up at Arran, his eyes asking forgiveness.

_"__For what?" _Arran questioned, trying to keep himself indifferent. _"You acted true to form; scared to death of a strange land. The only ones I've ever seen who are not afraid of the unknown are Stars and your cousins. We accept what is, but your cousins, they are unshakable, and they believe that even the smallest of actions has the power to change something." _Arran's voice inside Eustace's head seemed to hold awe and respect, a tone the dragon-boy had never heard the pirate use until now.

_"__What happened to you in Midalin; why do you fear dragons? Reepicheep won't tell me,"_ Eustace asked after the conversation had lapsed into silence for a time.

_"__With good reason; how came you to know of it?" _Arran glanced at Eustace as he asked, but his gaze had hardened and his shoulders had gone ridged.

_"__Reepicheep told me last night about his encounter with a dragon and a battle in a port called Midalin – his mistake was mentioning your name – when I could not sleep. And I realize that though you are brave, and hide it well, you fear me,"_ Eustace replied casually, his dragon's wisdom bringing the subtle facts to his observance, changing the flow of his words, making him sound more Narnian-like.

_"__Let me show you, Eustace," _Arran answered. He began pulling the billowy, white shirt-sleeve of his left arm up. Slowly, several black scars became visible on his skin. Eustace noted that there were one or two others as well, but they were a silver color, unlike the rather wide, jagged black ones. _"These are small compared to the ones on my back, chest and shoulders. Your claws are not long enough or strong enough to cause damage to my skin, as you are so young. But Mezelzaz, he was over a hundred thousand years old. His claws were as long as my blade, and his wings could envelope the _Treader_ easily. As black and slick as obsidian when it has been polished, the claws were tipped with iron." _Arran stopped speaking, taking in a ragged breath.

_"__The only thing I know about iron is that it nearly killed you that day on Felinor – wait – Felimath, wasn't it?" _Eustace said observantly, wishing he had paid attention when something crucial had been said before.

_"__Iron breaks and iron binds us to our fate. It kills without mercy and it imprisons for life," _Arran declared sarcastically, absently running his fingers over the scars, which made him flinch.

_"__I'm garnering that means that metal can kill a Star? I am guessing this has something to do with the silver blood and the magic that flow through your veins." _It was not a question; Eustace's dragon-earned wisdom told him it was true.

_"Enough of it will, yes. Mezelzaz did not have enough to but scar me. All my other injuries healed like these silver ones here – which I earned in a dagger competition – but being cut multiple times by iron permanently etched them into my skin. No amount of magic or spell casting can remove them. Yet another reason why my family and my kin in the heavens do not readily accept me," _Arran's voice faded softly in and out in Eustace's mind, and the dragon-boy understood that Arran was hurt by what had transpired in the port, actions that had made him an outcast even more so than he had been before.

_"__Then they must be fools. But what I have observed of you makes me think your family cares otherwise. I have only ever seen your brothers' concern that you might do something foolish, or you might kill yourself. You are scarred, but that is not what makes you. I am a dragon now, but Reep told me that is just what I look like on the outside. How I see myself on the inside; that is what matters. We can choose what we want. At least, that is what my mind tells me to tell you." _Eustace rumbled low in his throat, the dragon equivalent of a chuckle. Arran smiled slightly, the tension sliding from his shoulders.

_"__The wisdom of dragons. It was nearly twenty years before I'd met Azalea, but Mezelzaz told me she would come into my life and my heart would be torn. I laughed at him before I killed him. But he was correct. She does not love me; she hates me, but I cannot forget her, nor can I forget my love of the sky. Torn two ways. It is madness and beauty, this thing called love. And what do you think, Eustace, am I foolish for hesitating to choose between a mortal and the sky?" _Arran waited, looking at Eustace expectantly for a reply.

_"__Like you said, Arran, I'm a young dragon, and what wisdom I garner from this body is deep, but not vast. In human form I'm only twelve years old. I don't know much about love, and I don't think I can tell a Star who is two hundred or so years older than me anything on the subject. But I do know that my cousins are good examples. Susan has given everything of England up to stay with Caspian, and Edmund has not seen Serene in centuries, yet their love is strong. Wisdom, I can't give you, but them as examples, well, there you have it." _Eustace turned to watch his cousins and Caspian as they sat around the fire, which Rhince had just built up from the embers of the first fire Eustace had lit.

_"__One thousand," _Arran said quietly.

_Beg your pardon?" _Eustace focused his blue-green gaze on the Star.

_"__I am just a thousand years old. I lied about my age. We all do, frankly; a Star ages every ten years or so, and then we keep a look of score and four for over twenty thousand years. My father was a Star __**long**__ before he met my mother. I am immortal, what else is there in this life but to play pretend and keep from receiving appalled stares or glances when we mention our exact age?"_ Arran raised an eyebrow, his words holding some truth.

_"__Point taken," _Eustace said, the rumble returning to his throat, deepening as he laughed. _"But to say 'just a thousand' I find that amusing. 'Just a thousand'. I shall spend hours chuckling over that. I suppose that is the dragon coming out?" _Eustace shook his head in amusement as he whispered the words in his mind.

_"__Who knows if it is the dragon or the new you?" _Arran laughed, a high, clear sound, which made Eustace think that if he spoke, sung, dressed, and lived like a true Star did, than he would be flawless to behold. Eustace mused over that thought long after Arran had left his side.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The third evening, everyone was lying on the beach, either falling asleep, or talking softly to those who wished to do so. The Stars had walked off, and because they did not sleep; they went a pace down the beach to marvel over the constellations of their people, and watch the stars 'dance' as they said. Since Susan slept on board the _Dawn_ _Treader_ with Rilian, Caspian and Edmund had been able to talk more than they had on Edmund's last visit to Narnia. This night was no different.

Edmund lay back, gazing upward. Caspian had been leaning against a log next to him, staring into the flames as he and Edmund talked of life, and what to do about Eustace's situation. It was silent for a moment. "You know, I've never seen these constellations before," Edmund remarked thoughtfully, his voice quiet.

"Hmm?" Caspian looked upwards as well. "Neither have I," he admitted after a bit, his voice sounding awed as he took in the heavens. "We must be a long way from home." Edmund nodded slightly in agreement with Caspian's statement from his laidback position. As his mind drifted off, he rested his hands over his stomach, trying to see if there were any interesting patterns in the stars.

"You know," Caspian paused, clasping his hands around his knee, "after Professor Cornelius told me his tales, I used to dream of going to the end of the world, and finding my father there." his gaze slowly left the sky and looked toward the east, which would be as dark as onyx if not for the stars that shone in it.

Edmund thought about that, thought about what he hoped to find at the end of the world himself. Who knew? – Perhaps all their questions would be answered, all their troubles resolved. So Edmund said the only thing he felt was right for the situation. "Maybe you will."

Caspian glanced down at Edmund. "Thank you."

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Eustace could not find a comfortable position, no matter how he tried to shift his wings or fold his legs. Sighing, he opened his eyes and stared off across the water, wondering what would happen to him. About an hour before, he had flown away from the camp on the beach so that he would not disturb his friends; now he was alone with his thoughts. A snarl of frustration rose in his throat as he thought about the coming morning. Everyone had been speaking of going on, and that they had to before the year and a day were up. Many had been hoping to catch only a glimpse of Aslan's Country.

He turned his head when he heard something behind him. He wished it wasn't so dark so that he could see better, but the moon had long ago been blotted out under passing clouds. He was startled to see the lion walking toward him, surrounded by what appeared to be moonlight, though there was no moon to be seen. It was silent, as Eustace expected it would be, as it came closer. Eustace was terrified; there was something about the majestic creature that made him remember just how horrible and ghastly he'd been since he'd fallen into Narnia.

Staring at the lion, not a single thought of killing it entered his mind. He feared the beast but couldn't find it in himself to run from it. In a manner any true dragon would have been ashamed of, Eustace curled himself up and closed his eyes tightly as the lion came close and stared into them, trying to become as small as possible, hoping it would go away.

_"__Son of Adam, rise and follow me." _

Eustace opened one eye slowly, risking a peek. The lion had moved a few paces away but was still staring at him intently with golden eyes, eyes that seemed to hold all the beauty, knowledge and pain of the world.

_"__Son of Adam, follow me." _

Without fully comprehending why he was obeying, Eustace rose to his feet. His claws scraped against the stone and rock of the little bluff he had been sleeping on as he loped after the lion and into the woods. They passed over mountains, through caves, over plains, but it was never dark, and Eustace never lost the path, for the moonlight glowed about the lion ahead of him, beaming out and alighting on everything nearby with a soft glow. Slowly, they began the ascent of a mountain Eustace had never seen in all his flights.

When they reached the top, the lion padded gracefully into the most beautiful, enchanted garden Eustace had ever seen. There was nothing to match its beauty. Flowers, bushes, trees and black, well-tended earth surrounded the dragon-boy. A wonderful scent filled the air, and Eustace wondered if the lion would think him weak to cry over the breathtaking wonder. In the midst of this was a well, or, more like a marble bath, wide and full, with water bubbling up from the unseen bottom. There was a vine-covered pavilion that arched up atop it, and shallow, wide marble steps leading into it.

How badly – like any dragon who loves water I expect – Eustace wanted to crawl down into the water and swim. He dared a glance at the lion, but he found the animal staring at him.

_"__Of course you may swim. But you cannot dirty the water; you must remove your filthy garments." _

Eustace didn't even stop to think about how the lion was communicating to him; he just wanted to get into that refreshing-looking water and have a good swim. He was confused about removing any filthy garments, since he was a dragon and didn't wear clothes. But the new-found wisdom that he now possessed aided him in finding the answer. He realized that dragons, like snakes, must be able to cast their skins, so, with a great deal of will power, he began working at scraping all his scales off. After a while, he found he managed to scrape not only the scales off, but a nasty layer of his skin, which looked dark and evil in that beautiful place.

He finally felt a bit better, so he began crawling toward the pool, but he stumbled momentarily. Looking down, he realized he had stumbled over his own claws. And also, with a great deal of chagrin, he realized that his skin and scales were still as ugly and dirty looking as before. So he began scratching and clawing, but after three times, with similar results, he became discouraged, thinking he would never get to enjoy the wonderful water not many feet away.

_"__You cannot do it alone. I must help you. Will you let me is the question." _

Eustace stared at the lion, whose eyes did not waver. The dragon-boy's gaze traveled to the lion's claws, which looked far sharper than his own. He was afraid but nodded. _"Yes, I need your help," _he admitted, closing his eyes and hanging his head a bit in shame, since he had to make someone help him; it seemed he couldn't do anything right here. The lion walked forward, and the first scratch he made in Eustace's thick skin hurt so much he thought the lion had gone too deep. Even though it hurt something awful, Eustace stayed silent, believing the lion knew what he was doing.

After a bit, the skin fell away, and the lion picked Eustace up by the back of his neck and put him into the pool as if he was no more than a kitten. At first, Eustace smarted from the pain of the water since he no longer had the thick dragon-skin covering him, but he soon forgot and began swimming around and having the first truly wonderful time since he'd arrived in Narnia. After some time passed –Eustace did not know if it was hours or seconds – he realized he was a boy once more. He gave a loud cry of excitement and joy, before slouching against the side of the pool.

_"__How I do wish I could go back and apologize to my cousins,"_ Eustace thought with a bit of melancholy. He had been such a blundering, foolish idiot, and he honestly felt like he should go back to them begging for forgiveness instead of enjoying himself here. He didn't need to cause them more trouble by wandering off again.

_"__You have changed, Son of Adam. Remember, accept help when you need it, and do not be so hasty as to judge without understanding. Logical thinking does not always apply to every situation. For one day, there will come a situation you cannot control and logicality will not solve. Remember that there is more to what lies within, than the façade of the external. Until I see you again, Son of Adam."_

Eustace felt as if he was being wrapped in a robe or towel, and everything seemed to be a bit of a blur. Suddenly, a loud roar filled the night, and things stopped swirling. Eustace stumbled to the forest floor. Coming a bit shakily to his feet, he realized he was wearing new clothes and that he was still a boy. He smiled remembering the lion and what the animal had told him. His eyes sparkled with delight when he saw the beach between the trees and the slight grey of early morning. With a whispered "Yes!" of pleasure, he darted off through the pines.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Edmund was not certain what woke him, only that he could not sleep any longer. Rolling over, he propped himself up on his elbow to watch the sun rise from the east. He smiled a bit, remembering the first morning after he'd been crowned king. He had been too excited to sleep and had risen the next morning before the sun. He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard a sound coming from behind him in the direction of the tree-line that wrapped around the bay. He turned around abruptly, coming to a crouch, years of military ambushes and battles fought at night readying him for any sort of attack.

He reached for his sword, thinking _"Are we sure we're the only ones on this lonely island after all?"_ Watching the shadow moving closer for a bit, he walked forward, unsheathing his blade. At first he thought it might be one of the Stars, but a careful glance told him that the figure was too short. He knew it wasn't anyone in his party, since Lucy, Serene, Drinian, Caspian, Rhince and Gael were all asleep behind him.

Edmund reached the edge of the wood as it emerged fully. Raising his sword, he was about to issue challenge when the strange figure spoke. "Ed- Edmund, is that you?"

The king was taken aback; who could possible know him on in this place – _unless_ – what if it was some sort of temptation? "Yes, but who are you?" he said in a whisper, his stance guarded and his sword ready.

"Don't you know who I am? It's me – Eustace!" The boy stumbled out of the shadows, and finally Edmund could get a good look at him.

"By the lion, Eustace! But what the deuce happen–"

"Wait a minute, please," Eustace interrupted breathlessly. He lurched forward, and only Edmund's fast-thinking kept him from pitching headlong on the pine needle covered sand.

"What's wrong, Eustace; are you ill?" Edmund asked, leaning over to look into his cousin's face with concern. He waited and waited for Eustace to reply, until he began to worry that he'd fainted.

"You don't know… it's been ghastly… but it's all right now. Could we go and talk somewhere? I… I don't want to see the others just yet," Eustace said after a bit, slowly righting himself to meet his cousin's concerned stare.

"Well, I do suppose we could sit on the rocks – over there – and watch the sun rise, would that do?" Edmund asked, pointing a distance away at the shore, where it began to get rocky, and the cliffs tumbled down to meet the surf.

"That's good," Eustace agreed, slowly walking beside Edmund as the king sheathed his sword.

"You know." Edmund climbed up to sit next to his cousin, "It truly is good to see you again." He stared out at the waves and the slowly paling sky.

"You too," Eustace admitted, feeling rather awkward. He never thought the day would come when he'd actually _want_ to see his cousin, and yet, here it was.

"So how was–"

"Could I explain what–" They both started speaking, and both broke off when the other began. They smiled hesitantly at each other. "You go first," Eustace said, motioning slightly.

"No, I was just going to ask if you felt comfortable with telling me what had happened," Edmund admitted.

"I want the others to be here when I tell the full story, but, well, something happened that I'd like you to help me understand, since you're the Wise King," Eustace admitted, giving the older boy a lopsided grin.

"Then speak, I am listening," Edmund said, crossing his arms and shifting into a comfortable position as he smiled benevolently.

"Well, see, I'm not exactly sure what happened. You know, I didn't even know I was a- a dragon until you all kept saying that word. I'd like to tell you _how_ I stopped being one. If you don't mind," Eustace added hurriedly.

"Go on then," Edmund said with considerable patience, motioning with his hand.

"Well, last night I couldn't sleep, and I didn't want to wake any of you, so I flew off to be by myself. Being alone, well, I was faced with all sorts of facts, about how beastly I've been to all of you when you were so nice – by the way, I'm sorry for that."

"I accept your diplomatic apology, but you _will_ be giving it to the others later," Edmund said with a grin when Eustace paused.

"I will," Eustace agreed giving a cheerful laugh, a laugh that sounded different from any Edmund had heard the younger boy utter before. "Before I go on, I'm not sure about this – I think it could all have been a dream. So, there I was, couldn't sleep, didn't know what was to become of me except that I should have to remain here in Narnia on this island for the rest of my days, when I heard some noise. Looking up, there was this huge lion, and he was coming out of the trees. I was so scared – imagine me, a dragon, and the fiercest creature alive – afraid of a little old lion.

"But it wasn't as normal as you'd think; there was no moon last night, but there was moonlight all around this beast; it wasn't dark. It was aweing – and fearfully beautiful at the same time. I remember thinking that he might kill me, and I never thought once about killing him or burning him. I was just afraid of _it_ – if you can understand," Eustace tried to explain, glancing at Edmund.

"I think I can," Edmund said quietly, hand under his chin as he recalled a name that had sent fear up his spine once.

"It simply stared at me, no reproach or disappointment in its eyes, just staring, like he could see into my soul. So I curled up tight and closed my eyes, hoping it would go away. But it only came closer, and then he told me to rise and follow him." Eustace paused to catch his breath.

"You mean he spoke?" Edmund asked, remembering his first encounter, and how He had somehow spoken to his soul, without words, but yet, with words.

"Oh, I don't know, I don't remember thinking all too hard about it, just that I must follow him. I knew I'd have to do it, so I got up and followed, and Edmund, a small part of me just simply _wanted_ _to_ so badly that even now I can't describe the feeling. So it led me a long way into the mountains, farther than ever I'd flown. Then we climbed a tall mountain, but I never thought of flying; I just doggedly followed. I'd never seen this mountain in all of my flights, and when I got to the top… Oh Edmund, it was wonderful. So lovely I didn't know whether to cry or sing for joy. Such a lovely garden it was…" Eustace trailed off thoughtfully, a smile of fond remembrance on his face.

"Do go on," Edmund encouraged after several quiet minutes.

"Well, there were trees and bushes. In the middle was a lovely well – well, more like a bath – with wide, shallow marble steps going down into it. How I wanted to run and climb down into it for a cool, refreshing swim to clear my head. Then, this is the fantastic part – the lion said I could, but I had to undress first, he said I couldn't get the water dirty with my clothes. And just as I was going to say I couldn't, because dragons don't have clothes, I realized we have skins and scales like a snake does, and snakes cast their skins – why not a dragon too?

"So I scratched and scratched. But try as I might, I couldn't get off that ugly stuff. I was doomed to stare evermore at the wonderful looking water just feet away. I tried it again, noticing I was just so dirty. I peeled it off, it felt lovely, you wouldn't believe, but there was _another_ layer. Then, as I was getting discouraged, the lion spoke and said – but I don't know if he spoke – 'you'll have to let me undress you.' I was terrified of his claws, I can tell you, but I was so desperate for a good swim I was willing to try just about anything.

"Well, the very first tear he made went so deep, I thought he'd cut me to the heart; it hurt so. The only thing that made it bearable was the pleasure of feeling the nasty stuff peel right off. You know – if you've ever picked at a scab. It hurts, but it is such fun to see it cleaning up."

"I know exactly what you mean," Edmund said, smiling to himself, remembering how he had felt after his redemption.

"Well, there was that nasty skin lying there on the ground, looking all the nastier and uglier. I was cleaned up now, a good deal smaller than I'd been. Then he caught me up and tossed me gently into the water like I was a cub or a kitten. I didn't like that at first, being so sensitive now that I'd got no skin. But after a bit, it was lovely and simply delicious to swim around in. It was then I realized I was a boy again; I felt so overjoyed, and I'd never been happier in my life to be me.

"You'd think me an absolute phony now though, and I know I'm not that strong compared to you or Caspian; but still, I do so like being myself! Then, I wished that I could go back to all of you and ask forgiveness, realizing how silly I'd been. He must have dressed me; at least, that's what it felt like. He said a few important things to me, and, here I am, dressed in these clothes and back with all of you. Which is what makes me think it was a dream," Eustace admitted.

"It… wasn't a dream," Edmund disagreed, shaking his head slightly.

"Why not?" Eustace asked, glancing at his cousin curiously.

"Well, there are the clothes you're wearing for one. And you have been, er, un-dragoned, for another."

"What do you think it was then?" Eustace muttered aloud, not really expecting an answer to his voiced thought.

"I… I think you've seen Aslan," Edmund admitted with a secretive smile, as if he knew something wonderful.

"Aslan is a lion? I heard all of you mention that name, but I didn't really dwell on it. I hated it. But I was hating everything then."

"Everyone has seen Aslan, I don't think you could come to Narnia and _not_ see him. But of all of us, Lucy's seen him most; I don't understand why, but I think it's because of how she believes. After all, she was the one to find this place." Edmund paused. "I was rather callous to you myself, Eustace; I didn't realize how similar we are in character; I was blinded by frustration. But you should be thankful. You were only annoying, I was a traitor my first time here." Edmund stared off over the waves, the wind ruffling his dark hair slightly.

Eustace watched his cousin, shocked by the words he had uttered. Edmund, a traitor? It hardly seemed possible! Edmund, the one who never lost his head, always admitted the facts, who was pretty wise when it came down to making decisions, or looking at something with realism? Eustace watched his cousin in the silence, yearning to know the details but knowing that was probably something for another day. His time as a dragon had changed him, so he said after much consideration, "Well, I don't think I want to hear it then."

"Perhaps that is best," Edmund conceded, nodding slowly. "But if ever you enter Narnia again with someone you find annoying or stubborn, don't act as I have; cast aside your differences and try to understand them. Do this for me, could you?" Edmund asked, the corners of his mouth quirking slightly as he turned to look at Eustace.

"Well, I don't know, I still have a bit to work on; but I'll try," Eustace complied, grinning brightly when he noticed the sun peeking over the rim of the ocean in the east.

They talked until everyone began waking. They talked of the Golden Age, of Edmund's last adventure in Narnia, helping Caspian, and many other things, subjects ranging far outside of what Eustace had ever believed his cousin capable of discussing. Eustace was shown a new side of Edmund in those small hours of the morning. He realized that Edmund was quite a wise person, wiser perhaps than anyone he'd ever met. He could ask Edmund the most complex questions he could think of, and he'd answer them blithely, as if it was something simple. He didn't even realize what Eustace was doing until he'd answered the hardest question Eustace could put to him and made the younger boy all but incapable of speech.

"What's wrong?" he'd asked.

"You! I-I mean nothing really, just, well, you're smarter than I'd thought," Eustace managed with a slight stutter.

"It's the air here; it does something to us when we come back. Live in it, and you never really notice. Leave, and you remember for all your life. Things in England I can't recall, well, I remember them perfectly here. When I go back to England, I don't think you'd be able to ask me all those questions; I couldn't answer them." Edmund smiled, brushing off the praise easily enough, but Eustace wasn't taking that as an answer.

"I can see why you'd make a brilliant lawyer. No one could win against you!"

"High praise, coming from someone who said a few months ago that no such thing was possible," Edmund joked, looking pointedly at Eustace, his voice light with merriment.

"I was an idiot, remember? I thought I was so important!" Eustace laughed, remembering his arrogant self with embarrassment and amusement.

"You _are_ important, just not in the way you thought. Aslan called you here for a reason, so find it," Edmund pointed out, standing.

"I guess you're right," Eustace agreed, jumping down the rocks behind Edmund. As they walked back up the beach, Eustace ran ahead of the older boy, marveling over things he had before not taken time to look at. His laugh rang out over the shore as he reveled in being human once more. The sun rose fully from the water, rays dancing across its surface, bathing the waves in golden-silver light, like diamonds reflecting fire; it was a sight nearly too dazzling to behold.

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**A/N:**

**Well, I like this chapter, very much. **

**First Things First: **

**I had a _lovely_ Beta for this chapter; Jesus' girl 4ever, to whom I am _eternally_ grateful! She has helped me with all the punctuation (which was _immense,_ I'm amazed she could stay so on point about it. She was thorough and quick, which _also_ surprised me!). So, a shout out to her, if you will.**

**Hopefully she'll be helping me in the future. **

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**IMPORTANT: I noticed that my chapters are far too long, so, I will be shortening them to about 3-4,000 words from now on. Perhaps 5,000 if I think the events/plot cannot go any other way. Hopefully they won't be so overwhelming to read (A/Ns don't count in the word count).**

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**I liked writing the end of this chapter, I got more of a brotherly feel from Eustace and Edmund, like I always got when I read the books after Eustace changed, I always felt this subliminal current, emotional-type feeling, that they grew close, you know, more like brothers after sharing this adventure together, and being so similar and all. That they bonded a bit from their conversation on the beach. **

**Also, as I was writing the Edmund-Eustace scene, I realize that Edmund might be slightly OOC. But that's because I'm trying to make him seem older. As he says, Narnian air does something to him, it ages his memory and character. We don't really know how Edmund might act as a Narnian adult, or even as an adult from our world, because C.S. Lewis didn't give us that image, he made them forever young, but forever mature. I'm taking rather a creative license in this area here.**

**Eustace might seem OOC, but he's not, the majority of his lines in this segment are from the books, with my personal twist to sort of (I don't know a better way to say this) make them my own, yet still give them the film/C.S. Lewis-iness too. **

**I think - as I've probably mentioned before - that when you use both film and novel characters in this writing, you really can't miss your mark. I sometimes watch the movies, and then read the books directly after (or at the same time), and think about how much they contrast/compliment each other, and that to blend them would make them my own, while still keeping them IC. **

**On another note, I believe the mentioning of Arran's age was a bit of a surprise for everyone. I'd been tossing about the idea of them aging every ten years, but recently, I've come back on it and elaborated it, making it that once they reach a certain age, they stop 'aging' so to speak for a couple thousand years, and then slowly age again. It's an ongoing process, which I will work on. Any discrepancies will be ironed out in the future.**

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**ILoveFanfiction: You are wonderful to have kept on reading this story after so long, thanks! I'm so glad you caught up, I promise to not do such agonizingly _loooong_ chapters again {if I do shorter chapters, there'll be more of them, but at a faster rate!}. Not that I'm going to shorten them much. **

**I will fix the errors as soon as I can! **

**Yes, 'Before The Mast' {BTM} will finish out Arran and Reep's story {progress is slow, but it's coming, _believe you me,_ it's coming}. But I'll mention things in this Cycle every now and then {I'm calling it a 'cycle' now because quintet was the wrong tern for a 4-book series}. **

**I thought that the whole justice thing really fit Edmund. I hate reading a guilt-tripping Ed, but one who carries a small bit of it? Fine, just as long as he's not too OOC. So this makes sense that he'd kinda blame himself, right? I dunno, you tell me.**

**You were spot-on with the quotes pretty much! **

**The first one is for... ****thinks about this for the first time really, _really_ deeply**** ...basically a bit of everyone. Caspian, Susan, Edmund, Serene, Lucy, Eustace, Reep, Gavan, etc... You get it I'm sure. **

**Yes, Durin's Price is fabulous! I love it, never read something so IC before, especially a "What If" {at least that's what I call stories like that}. It's not all about the romance, nor all about the action, it's just like the films, and I'm really enjoying it! {surprisingly, it's rather inspiring, not to mention good incentive for me to get on the stick and write my own stories}. **

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**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...}. Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note.**

**Happy reading, **

**W.H. 1492**


	27. Wind In The Sails

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Wind In The Sails**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Everyone woke to the sound of Eustace's laughter. Susan cried and hugged her cousin fiercely, with Lucy not far behind her. Both were so relieved to see him normal again that they almost didn't notice his change in character. But it was not something easily missed and was noticed readily when Eustace smiled at Caspian after the king mentioned how good it was to see his face again.

"It's good to see you too, Caspian," Eustace replied with a bashful nod, remembering all the rude things he'd said to him.

"You seem… different, Eustace," Gavan noticed, resting his hand briefly on the boy's shoulder as he studied him.

"Well, being a dragon does change one's outlook, I suppose," Eustace said easily, smiling.

Yes, I suppose it does! After all, a smooth sea never a skilled sailor makes," Drinian agreed, patting Eustace in a comradely fashion on the back.

"Come on, who's hungry? We'd best be eating before it gets cold!" Rynelf called when he noticed the cook had made up breakfast and was motioning for them to come eat. With smiles and laughter, they all gathered around the camp fires. Eustace told of how he became a dragon and lightly glossed over the more private conversion between himself and Aslan.

I suppose it could be said that Eustace was completely changed after that. But that wouldn't be the full truth. He had relapses. But he was never the same boy again. He smiled a bit more, laughed often, and began to have a different view on life. And he was never so hasty as to judge people he didn't really know again.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The rest of the day was spent organizing the ship and preparing to sail. A little after noon they left the bay, leaving the island behind. Everyone was pleased to be gone from those rather unwelcoming shores. Eustace was glad to be rid of them, but when everyone else had gone about their business or went off in search of something to busy themselves in, Eustace snuck back to the rear deck and stared at the island, watching it grow smaller and smaller as they headed out to sea.

He had had quite a time – even if it hadn't been exactly pleasant – on the island and held it in special regard. He hoped that someday, perhaps, he might come back and search for the beautiful garden. But a piece of his heart told him he would not find the place again, however hard he searched. The sun beamed down on the mountain crags and peaks, clouds hanging over the ridges in the distance, a beautiful grey-white shaded backdrop for the greens, blues and gold's of the island.

"Dragon Island," Eustace whispered, before turning his back and going in search of the others.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Arran was talking to Reepicheep, who was leaning against a bit of rigging, discussing the proper way to splice hemp, which Reep said Arran was doing wrong when Eustace came up to them. He stood there silently, quite aware that he and Arran hadn't been on the best of terms until two days ago. Fiddling with the hem of his shirt and staring at the deck, he wondered what he was going to say. Arran glanced up momentarily when he heard Eustace's shoes scuff the boards.

"Are you going to speak or stand there like petrified wood?" he asked nonchalantly. Reep tsked at Arran's choice of nouns, but the Star pretended he hadn't heard.

"Well, I wanted to thank you I suppose, both of you, for being friendly to me, when I was a dragon, I mean," Eustace mumbled. It was harder than he'd thought it would be to admit this.

"You are good company, my friend. I enjoyed our discussions; it is not often I may converse with another without being overheard," Arran declared calmly, twisting the rope between his fingers.

"Really?" Eustace asked, disbelieving him slightly.

"Of course," Arran looked up. His pale blue eyes held the boy's for a fraction of a second, before he smiled warmly. "Tis not every day I meet a dragon nor have the honor of calling him my friend." Eustace knew that there were times when Arran could not be trusted; he had overheard Caspian tell Edmund that Arran was a man to be cautious around, but in that instant, Eustace saw honesty. He turned and walked away.

Arran bent his blonde head back to his task, shaking it slightly as he laughed. "I never thought I should find myself saying that of anyone that I once despised. But Eustace is different; he is a good lad."

"Yes, better now I should think than ever before. I don't wonder if someday he shall become another of the Friends of Narnia," Reepicheep agreed, smiling thoughtfully as he stared across the ocean to the east. "I only wish I might see it," he whispered softly, something inside of him telling him that this was going to be a very different sort of adventure.

"In case you're not, would you like me to tell you when he returns? I think Aslan would allow it," Arran asked, glancing up at the Mouse.

"Yes… yes that would do… _perfectly_," Reep conceded, closing his eyes as a warm breeze drew up.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Lucy, is it not fantastic to be on the ocean once more?" Gavan called merrily, dodging Zephyr and Gael as they ran after him, playing a lively game of tag. Lucy laughed from where she had been standing observing the waves roll under the ship.

"Yes," she agreed as he ran behind her. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he laughed breathlessly.

"Lucy's safe," he declared with a chuckle, smiling when Zephyr stopped and Gael frowned, trying to think of some way to get Gavan away from Lucy.

"That's not fair; you can't call safe just for a breather!" Zephyr reprimanded, gasping a bit. He'd chased Gael all over the ship before he'd tagged her, but his brother was faster, and he'd used up more energy trying to tag him than he'd ever have used on Gael.

"Who says I need a breather?" Gavan asked, tilting his head to one side, eyes sparkling with humor. As Gavan and Zephyr argued, Lucy had slowly reached out and touched Gael. The girl ran off, squealing with laughter. "Come catch me, Zephyr!" she shouted at the disbelieving Star.

"I'm in!" Lucy laughed, running in the opposite direction, Gavan not far behind.

"This truly isn't fair!" Zephyr moaned, debating who to go after first.

"Who said tag was fair, brother?" Gavan taunted from behind him with a grin.

"Who's playing tag?" Eustace asked, coming up to them.

"We are; would you like to join? Careful for Zephyr; he's 'It'. He touches you, you're on his side," Gavan explained, backing up when his brother turned and darted towards him.

"I don't think that's how you play tag," Eustace pointed out, recalling the children at his school and how he'd seen them play once.

"We make it up as we go!" Gavan shouted, turning abruptly, catching Zephyr off guard. Eustace laughed brightly.

"Right, well, count me in too then, Zephyr," he said loudly, running to join Gael.

"By the Golden Lion and everything I hold dear, not another one," Zephyr muttered under his breath with feigned sarcasm as he smiled. He rather enjoyed challenges.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Edmund stared at the sword in his hand as it shone green. Caspian had laid Rhindon on the table, causing the newest blade to gleam its dark red color. The king leaned back in the chair he sat in, staring at the swords thoughtfully. He wondered why they shone such unusual colors and what their significance was to Narnia; why had they been so important that the Lords would steal them.

"Edmund, do you think Serene could tell us why these weapons hold such value, besides belonging to Guardians, because I do not understand," Caspian asked, glancing at the younger man.

"I think she could, easily. I'll find her," Edmund offered, resting the sword on the table and striding across the room.

Minutes later, Edmund returned with Serene beside him. "Caspian, Edmund told me there was something you wished to know about the seven swords?" Serene glanced meaningfully at the weapons on the table.

He watched her for a moment, taking in the way she said 'seven swords' so reverently, as if they were relics of great value. "Yes, I would like to know their importance; tell me as much as you can on the subject," Caspian explained, motioning to another chair while he and Edmund sat.

Serene reached out and grasped the red-glowing blade. As it had done in the cave, it grew brighter but did not seem as lustrous. "I once mentioned that Jaddai owned this blade. She was the last Guardian seen on Narnian soil, but not the _Last_. Everyone thought she was, but that was only because they did not know of Todd Green's final quest, to save the far Eastern Ocean. While Jaddai remained behind, to finish her Guardianship, Todd ventured into the east to destroy a Star turned into a servant of darkness.

"Nithalazaar was his name. He had become twisted, lost because he could not control the island he had been given; Divandandia. Rhince's story was true. But it was only part of the tale. Arran told of how Stars know it well, for they keep it alive in the hearts of men. They keep it alive as caution for those such as Arran. Nithalazaar was a half-Star, like the Greenwoods. When he grew too old to grace the skies, he fell to Divandandia, as Aslan grants all immortals a place where they might rest.

"But this island was powerful, its magic nearly untouched. It was a new island, beautiful and perfect in every shape and form. Aslan believed the half-Star would love it, but Nithalazaar could not control it; his powers were only so much. Unable to subdue the island without the simplest of a full Star's spells, he grew frustrated and confused, thinking Aslan had only placed him there as a lesson. Slowly, he began using the language of the Stars in a twisted way, turning light into shadow and the island into the darkness of its creature's fear of him.

"He who had been kind was now cruel; where once he had been merry, there was only sadness, hate, and anguish. Nithalazaar had turned every beautiful thing given him into something of darkness and deceit. Hiding away the Sapphire, the island inhabitants' only hope, he ruled with all the powers he had stolen. But like all darkness, when once it has a host, it turns its craving, black maw toward the innocent and free, wanting more.

"And so Aslan sent Todd to stop him. He used the powers of his sword, Gwyrdd – this blade you have Edmund – to push Nithalazaar back, to imprison him on Dark Island, as it was called after the half-Star took it over. He was dying when he plunged the blade into the earth of Divandandia, his blood forever to stain the enchanted ground. With the last of his strength, he returned to his vessel and sailed toward Aslan's Country. Todd was the First and Last Guardian.

"But Nithalazaar's magic had become a mind almost of its own. Some of the power of Todd's blade became corrupted, turning into the green mist we have vowed to stop. So another was to find his way to Dark Island, not many years after, taking Todd's sword to the shores of Aslan's Country; from there, it was returned to the tombs of the Guardians. And that is the tale of Gwyrdd. But now, now I shall tell you of Cryfder, the blade of Jaddai," Serene paused, stroking the flat once more.

"You are saying that these blades are powerful enough to decide and think for themselves?" Caspian suggested unsurely.

"No, the magic they bear has a mind of its own, which belongs to Aslan, the swords themselves are metal and that is all they ever will be. But the magic has ties with the Deep Magic of Narnia, the foundation of this world's very existence, if you will. This same magic flowed through the Guardians, but only when they had their swords could they understand this," Serene clarified.

"Hmm," Caspian contemplated, staring off in thought as Serene continued.

"The sword of Jaddai is beautiful, unique for the woman. She was the final Guardian chosen, which is another reason she bears the title 'the last Guardian'. She was an enchantress, not unlike myself. In fact, she was of my people. She had abilities which were magnified by Cryfder, which was why she called the sword 'power', for it gave her power. Jaddai was not like most of the Guardians,

"She was not given any particular gift; her talents ranged over a wide scale. But the greatest thing she could do was turn weapons into harmless objects. She has said that it was amusing to watch people's faces when she performed such tricks, to watch the Telmarines gape in awe. She was a staunch believer in Aslan and would not accept the gods of the Telmarines, something she was persecuted for.

"Her last gift to Narnians was her sacrifice of magic; she spent all the power within herself to protect them, to safeguard the ruins of Cair and the inhabitants of the woods. She cast a spell over the cove to keep unwanted trespassers away, to hide her beloved people. That is why your people feared the water, Caspian, because of the spells she cast. She cast many to protect them from the evil of the east. Now the time has come to finish what they began, to set sail across the waves without fear of what lies beyond.

"But if we should fall, then much will be lost. I hope we do not fall," Serene said softly, her eyes coming up to meet Caspian's.

"This seems so daunting," Caspian remarked thoughtfully, beginning to think they might never succeed.

"What of Aslan though? He has come to our aid time and time again; I am sure he will not leave us to perish alone and beaten. If we cannot finish this, then he will destroy the evil; he will not let you fail, Caspian. He placed you on this throne because he knew you could do something no other could. Have a little faith. Have hope; all cannot be lost," Serene smiled, setting the blade back on the table.

"How do you know all this about the swords and the Guardians? You speak as if so certain that this is true. Not to doubt you, but I merely wonder," Caspian asked suddenly.

"Caspian, I no longer live in Lumea; where do you think Aslan took me when I disappeared that day on the battlefield? When we no longer walk this land, we do not sleep in the ground; our souls go to be with Aslan in his country. Though we cannot be seen, we are not truly gone. I have talked with the Seven; they are the most wonderful men and women – such tales they tell, how aweing they are! The only things they lack are their blades, which – if all goes well – we just might be able to return to them.

"For when we come to Aslan's Country, I shall cross over, and I will not return. If we find all the swords, I will carry them to His country." Serene's face was solemn, but her eyes were peaceful, she did not fear death, for she had no reason to. For her, death was the beginning, not the end as some believed in Lumea.

"Forgive me; I had forgotten. Sometimes I forget the Narnian beliefs regarding death," Caspian confided, reclining slightly, his eyes on the swords.

"You are young, and young men and women do not dwell on the end of life. It seems too far away to comprehend; I understand. As to Narnian beliefs, I do not label them as such, for all wish to believe in an eternity of sorts, and life after death. Narnians simply found this easier to accept with Aslan as their god," Serene said with careful surety.

You know Todd and Jaddai's, but Rezef's blade was called 'Cerddoriaeth' the Old Narnian word for 'music', Hena's was called 'Stjörnu', the archaic word for 'star', I believe, Ivvah's was called 'Ddewrder', or 'valor', Shebna's was called 'Erbyn', or 'against' and Othniel's was called 'Sarff'; I don't know for what reason he called his blade 'serpent', but call it that he did. All had unusual names, for reasons which they will not tell me. Jaddai's is the only one I am certain of, for she was not secretive about it," Serene said, staring thoughtfully at the weapons on the table.

"Thank you for taking the time to tell me about the swords and Dark Island; it helps me prepare for what lies ahead of us that we must conquer. I am glad Aslan allowed you to join us for this voyage," Caspian said, standing as he looked gratefully at Serene.

"It is nothing; information is not meant to be kept but spread around so that many might share in the wealth of knowledge," Serene said contrarily, not wanting to be made into some leader or sage, which she was not.

"Whenever you talk of death or Aslan's Country, it reminds me how old we are," Edmund remarked quietly from where he sat near the windows. Caspian glanced over at him. He saw a young man who looked naught but sixteen, though he spoke like a wise, grey-bearded old man. It always took him aback, and he knew he would never become used to it, even with Susan.

"I know; you begin to feel… tired, relaxed, as if the world may go on without your approval now," Serene agreed, slowly nodding her head, black locks sliding over her shoulders to frame her face.

"As if you can rest," Edmund agreed, rising. "Forgive me, Caspian; sometimes I speak my thoughts aloud, but don't worry; the doldrums pass!" Edmund declared, brightening a bit, though his mind was still weighed down with his thoughts. Serene laughed blithely, coming to his side as he moved toward the door.

Caspian merely smiled, shaking his head a bit as he sheathed Rhindon and the two other blades.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Rilian, what's my boy doing?" Susan asked, coming to sit on the rug of her cabin. The baby was quickly learning how to crawl with efficiency, and Susan knew it wouldn't be long before he was walking. She had never understood her mother's view that children grew up too fast. Now, watching her son learn to sit up and crawl, play and laugh, she did understand. Children grew up too fast; they were only precious sweethearts for a few years before they wanted to go and do everything on their own.

Rilian's head turned when he heard his mother's voice. The baby smiled, blue eyes so like Susan's filled with the innocence of a child. Susan marveled at how trusting children could be in adults. It was almost cruel, she thought, how reliant they were and how adults could be so thoughtless and selfish.

The war back in England was the result of selfish, cruel men who did not care for the world and legacy they left for their children. Children, in her opinion, should be considered before any war, because the result, the victory, did not matter. Hundreds of years later, it was the ones that lived, survived, the children, who would matter. What the war did to them was what counted.

Turning her thoughts from the dark subject, Susan smiled at her boy. "What do you have?" She asked. The boy gave a squeal and crawled away, the hair ribbon clasped tightly in his fingers. "No matter how old you get, I shall see you as this baby always," Susan said with a smile, following her son. She picked him up, kissing him lightly on the top of his head, brushing her fingers against his soft dark hair.

"A Prince of Narnia, but my Prince first," she cooed softly when the baby turned his head. She walked to the windows at the back of the cabin. With a cry, the little boy leaned out of his mother's arms, small hands reaching for the glass panes of the window. "Do you see the ocean? That's the ocean," Susan said, looking at her son as she pointed. The baby squealed, clapping his hands. He smiled up at his mother. Susan smiled back.

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**A/N:**

**Again, a major thanks to Jesus' girl 4ever, who Beta-ed me _again!_**

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**I know, this chapter doesn't really move the plot. Mostly it's just meaningless fluff. I had to write it, I was getting tired of the seriousness! Besides, it's like, the last bit of fluff before the major events in the plot start happening. I had to reintroduce Rilian into this, because frankly, I will forget him. I haven't really made much of him throughout this, which wasn't really smart. **

**But then, I brought him into it enough to show. I just had to do some more scenes with him and Susan. I know Susan might seem OOC when she's with Rilian, but I think everyone, fictional or real, becomes OOC when babies are involved. I know I get really weird! Why do people start talking nonsense to babies? It's like we enjoy making goofballs of ourselves or something. **

**In the book, C.S. Lewis writes "Eustace wasn't perfect. He had relapses." so I just had to put that in as well, I couldn't help it, it's such a perfect sentence, so well-written. **

**I like the idea that Arran is someone everyone's been told to be careful around, but Eustace can see honesty in him better than anyone. Because of what they talked about when the boy was a dragon, Eustace can see through Arran's façade to the real him underneath. **

**I like the idea that Eustace found himself liking Dragon Island in spite of everything, that because it changed him, he feels a bit of partiality to it. I think, even if it was a bit painful, I'd still appreciate the place that I became a new person in. It's a milestone, it marks an event he will never be at again. Anywhoo, tell me what you think.**

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**ILoveFanfiction:**

**Finally, you have an explanation for my calling Todd 'the first and last Guardian'! Does this explain things to you better? I hope so!**

**I knew you'd like that story, isn't it great? **

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**Again, if there is anything I missed, {explanations, punctuations, grammar, misspellings, plot-that-doesn't-make-sense, something that I failed to clarify on, etc...}. Please tell me so I can fix/tell you about it in a PM/Author's Note.**

**Happy reading, **

**W.H. 1492**


	28. We Play A Deadly Game

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: We Play a Deadly Game**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

For ten days, they sailed before a strong wind, ever toward the east. On the surface, things seemed wonderful, but inside, turmoil was taking over, things were unwinding, trust was diminishing, fear caught hold ever so slightly. On an unknown ocean, who does not fear? Doubt was largely a part of this fear. When one doubts himself, what then is left to rely on? How can you trust yourself if you have no faith? When you cannot trust your mind to keep from playing cruel tricks, it becomes a game of wits, to see what gives out first. Your endurance or your belief that you are doing right.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Why are you so quiet of late? You rarely smile; it worries me, Caspian. Especially now, here," Susan said, coming up beside him, her face showing her concern.

"How do I know that I should even be doing this? We have nothing sure to go on. We cannot know if the Lords accomplished what Coriakin told them to do. We cannot know if _we_ will! What if I have simply led us all to death? What if I have been stupid, thinking I could do something I cannot? Am I a good king? Would your brother have done this – would my father?" Caspian looked up from gazing at the deck to stare at the horizon, unwilling to meet her eyes.

"You don't believe this, do you? Oh, Caspian, do not compare yourself; it is not what Aslan wanted of you! Do not look to others; only follow what you know in your heart, in your mind, Aslan would want you to do. Don't judge _yourself_ by the outward appearances of other men, for Aslan does not," Susan appealed, resting her hand over his.

"How can you be so sure? Your brother believed I was a disappointment, a failure. Remember? 'No more right than Miraz'. Sometimes I believe he was correct. If he were to see me, would I have fulfilled his expectations?" Caspian's voice was firm with conviction; what _would_ the High King have said?

"Yes. Yes, you would have. When Peter became King, no one expected a boy to be able to lead just as he did, no one expected you to succeed in taking Narnia from your uncle and restoring it to the glory of days gone by. But you did! Both of you exceeded expectations put upon you. So many times, Peter would tell me that he was not good enough for those trusting people we ruled. When we returned to help you, he had so many losses to deal with, at the same time as organizing an army that was nine tenths the size he was used to commanding. He was not thinking clearly when he said that. But when he gave you Rhindon, he was certain of you. How often must I tell you this?" Susan asked imploringly, moving closer to him.

"Many things say otherwise," Caspian answered, glancing at her before moving away, brown eyes haunted with doubt. Susan bowed her head, sighing.

"Oh, Aslan, if ever there was a time he needed you most, it is now," she whispered.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Lucy," Edmund called to her when she walked past. It was evening; the wind blew softly across the quiet, clean deck. Edmund had been going to talk to Caspian, Susan had told him he was acting strange, as if he was carrying some burden he would not confide to her. She'd described it as "close to possessed," which had worried Edmund. But now, he wanted to talk to Lucy about something he'd noticed the past several days.

"What's wrong, Ed?" she answered, smiling her usual bright smile.

"Nothing's wrong; I just wanted to ask you something," Edmund admitted.

"Well?" Lucy asked, waiting patiently.

"Does… does Gavan make you happy?" he asked, point blank. No use in pretending he hadn't noticed; he knew there was something between them, but he wanted to know how his sister felt.

"What! Well, I should have realized you'd know…. You were always the most observant," Lucy said, searching her brother's face for his feelings on the matter before she answered his question.

"So… how does he make you feel?" Edmund persisted, trying to keep her on subject.

"Gavan does make me happy. He's a good friend, and he understands me better than a boy from England would," she admitted, smiling thoughtfully.

"I'm glad. I just wanted to know, and let you know I knew," Edmund said, his hand on the bannister as he made his way to the chart cabin. Lucy smiled at her brother's retreating back; Edmund was more understanding than she'd thought he'd be. She continued on her way to finding Eustace; she wanted to ask him something about Dragon Island which she couldn't fully remember.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Drinian hummed a shanty under his breath. Even though there had been singing and dancing that evening, he could sense the tension. It was unnerving, wondering when it would come undone and everyone would lash out at the other. He knew that this venture was necessary for the future and protection of Narnia, but still, he worried over the outcome and the larger possibility of failure than success. He glanced up at the stars, checking his course once more.

"It's troubling, isn't it, to know that we are only a few paces from both victory and madness." Drinian turned to see Arran walk up from behind him.

"Yes," Drinian admitted, his stature slouching slightly over the helm as he let all his guards down.

"Thank Aslan that is all you must worry over. Do not fear, Drinian, or doubt. Ever. You have kept unbelievably strong throughout this whole endeavor, and it has impressed me. You just might outlast everyone. Your faith in Aslan is astounding; do not waver," Arran declared, coming to stand beside the captain.

"I don't know if I should thank you, or wonder what you mean," Drinian replied, glancing at him skeptically, trying to discern what Arran was telling him.

The pirate laughed, braids and dreadlocks swaying slightly. Drinian suddenly realized that if the Star did not do that to his hair, it would be longer than any man's he'd seen before. An odd concept to grow one's hair that length, he thought, wondering how he could cope. Drinian would have sheared to his shoulders it in five minutes; surely it was unbearable in the heat.

"Both are suitable, I suppose, As long as they help you remember," Arran replied, sobering, and pulling Drinian back from his random thoughts.

"I will. But, you know, I'm worried, Arran. What if there isn't another island out there? What if we're sailing away from Ramandu's Island; perhaps we never find a blue star? We don't have supplies to last forever. And sooner or later, if we don't prove our blind faith in Aslan, the men will mutiny," Drinian voiced his worries.

"There _is_ another island, and Ramandu and the blue star _are_ real; do not fear. It's just, can we get to it in time, which should worry all of us. If we cannot find all of the swords, then we might as well have failed the quest. But there is something more troubling then all of that. This 'green mist' bothers me, and I know it means something, but I cannot be sure what yet," Arran said thoughtfully, fiddling with the tassel on his sword.

"Don't you think their Majesties have been acting strange since we encountered it? Sometimes I wish I had turned around after we reached Narrowhaven and brought them all back to Narnia. Evil or not, we can't save Narnia at the expense of leaving her without a ruler. Don't you agree?" Drinian glanced sidelong at Arran.

"I've thought of the same things many a time, Master Drinian. Many a time," Arran murmured, staring out to sea. "The wind's good, and the night's fair, rather smooth sailing, don't you agree?" the Star changed the subject, glancing at the sail and the night sky.

"Yes, but in metaphor, not at all," Drinian answered. Arran smiled slightly, before both captains became quiet, lost in thought.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The following morning, the lookout shouted of land in the distance. Everyone poured onto the deck from the galley or the cabins. Eleven days from Dragon Island, and here was another one. Another island that was unknown to them until today. How many more were out there, and why did Aslan create these uninhabited lands? As they stared across the bow and toward the horizon, Arran glanced up at Drinian, who was at the helm once more.

The captain nodded, remembering their conversation the night before, how Arran had said there would be another island, and that they were going in the right direction. As he stood there, the thought suddenly occurred to Drinian that Arran _knew_. He knew these lands existed, he knew they were going in the right direction, and he knew what was ahead. Drinian was puzzled as to the fact that Arran did not tell them what he had already known; why was he holding back?

_"__Watch for dragons in the storm." _

The truth hit Drinian like a loose piece of rigging in a gale. Arran _had_ told him, but he hadn't paid attention. He must watch the Star more carefully in the future, he reasoned.

_"__Down to the briny deep, nevermore to see the sun." _

The words sent a shiver up Drinian's spine. What had the Star meant? The Lord pondered the words as everyone below him speculated on what would be found on this new island.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The bare mountain crags rose up into the sky, reddish-orange in the heat. There was hardly any vegetation. As the _Treader_ sailed into a cove, lizards splashed off of the uneven, wide rocks jutting up from the cool, blue water with a splash. Eustace watched them, shuddering over the fact that they looked like wingless dragons. They were brilliantly colored: red, blue, green, orange and golden. Drinian called for the anchor to be weighed.

Quickly, sailors scurried about their appointed tasks, while the monarchs moved toward the rail, observing the island before them. "It looks so barren," Lucy said, her voice carrying a note of forlornness.

"Indeed it does," Reep agreed, nodding his head slightly, red feather bobbing.

"But it must have clues," Caspian pointed out.

"You don't think…" Susan trailed off, glancing at her husband uncertainly.

"The Lords must have stopped here, even with those swords; they had to eat; they had to resupply and water. It would make sense," Caspian replied.

"Will you go ashore now?" she asked, trying to keep Rilian from leaning over the edge of the railing too far.

"You know we cannot wait; I don't want to remain in these strange lands any longer than is necessary, after the unfortunate events which befell Eustace," Caspian answered, meeting her questioning gaze. Behind Susan, Eustace colored, realizing that Caspian was worried something might happen to him again.

"Well then, since obviously I cannot convince you to wait until morning, go, but please come back safe." She smiled slightly, her free hand coming to rest on his arm.

"I'm fairly certain we shall," he answered, kissing her lightly before walking off after Edmund and Lucy; who were talking with Arran.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Eustace had asked if he might come with them to explore, saying that he thought he could help. Everyone was hesitant, but he had asked kindly and had not begged, even when uncertainty spread across their faces at the idea. Finally, they agreed that he may as well come. He didn't know much of what to do in the way of helping lower the boats, so he stood back and watched, wishing once more that he had paid closer attention before. When they reached the shore, as everyone was jumping over the edge of the boat, Arran glanced back at Eustace.

Almost faster than the boy could think, the pirate pulled a jewel-encrusted dagger from his sash and tossed it to him. Eustace barely managed to catch the hilt before it touched the water. When he looked back at Arran, the pirate bore no expression; Eustace didn't know if he was pleased or not. He instead turned wordlessly and followed after the others. Eustace didn't understand the sharp, dangerous gift or what it meant, but he figured Arran wouldn't give it to him without reason. Shrugging nonchalantly, he scurried up the slight incline after the retreating Star.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

With a hiss, steam poured up from the crevices in the rocky soil, the hot air nearly stifling in the heat. If not for the fact that Lucy knew they would be horribly sunburnt by the hot sphere overhead, she would have wished for a blouse with short sleeves and a skirt. But she wondered how Edmund and Caspian could stand it, wearing the clothes they were. She glanced over at Arran, who had been the only Star to come with them as Gavan and Zephyr had been employed by Drinian to mend a weathered spot in the great purple sail; the Star seemed unaffected by the heat.

Their small party was made up of Lucy, Arran, Eustace, Edmund, Caspian, and the sailor Rynelf. It had been a small group, but Arran had reasoned that with his magic, he would be more than able to protect them from danger as long as he didn't come into direct contact with iron. So everyone agreed that a small party was all that was needed.

"A foreboding, volcanic sort of place, don't you agree, your Majesties?" Rynelf reflected, taking his surroundings with a cautionary sweep of the land.

"Indeed, its secrets must be vast," Arran replied, surprising everyone, since he had not spoken since they'd come ashore. He turned a half-step when a geyser of hot air spouted from another hole in the ground.

"What do you mean?" Eustace couldn't help the slight tremor that crept into his voice.

"Merely an observation," the pirate answered vaguely, tilting his head slightly before turning away from Eustace and back to looking at the land. Whether the gesture was meant to be casual or indifference, Eustace didn't know, but he acquired the oddest feeling that Arran finally fit his surroundings; he looked like a predator with prey.

"What's that – over there," Lucy suddenly pointed to a gleaming speck not many yards away on the ground. The bright golden spark was dazzling in the light; Eustace wondered how they could stand to look at it.

"Come on!" Edmund encouraged, picking up speed despite the heat as he walked in the direction of the gleam. Caspian darted after him; Lucy, Arran, and the sailor not far behind. Eustace followed hesitantly; there was something off about this whole thing. Having been tempted once, his subconscious was starting to notice the signs; even if his conscious didn't yet.

"Running after a mote of light, what's next?" he muttered.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

A small golden brooch, the kind Edmund remembered he'd once used to clasp his capes with in the Golden Age, lay beside a length of rope tied to a boulder. The end of the thick hemp had been cast down into a dark crevice, which looked to the Just King as having once been an active geyser. The others arrived behind him, slightly out of breath in the heat, but still curious. Arran bent and retrieved the brooch. The pirate rubbed it absently between his fingers as he stared down into the dark hole thoughtfully.

"What do you make of it?" Rynelf asked, glancing searchingly at his leaders. Arran passed the brooch to the sailor in a distracted manner before walking to the edge of the yawning cavern opening.

"Arran?" Caspian called, but the pirate waved him off.

"I do believe we should go down there," he declared finally in a disconnected voice, as if his thoughts were thousands of miles away and only a piece of him was with them. But because of how softly he'd spoken, the others did not hear him and continued to discuss the matter amongst themselves.

"At least this means we weren't the first on this island; that's a good sign, right?" Lucy asked, glancing at her brother and Caspian.

"You mean the Lords?" Rynelf spoke up.

"Could be," Caspian replied, picking up a small stone and tossing it down into the cavern. It clattered to the bottom with such a noise that it seemed eerily loud in the rather still place.

"Let's find out then," Edmund decided in a firm, serious voice, the voice he once used in council. Grabbing the rope, he swung down into the dark opening, hand under hand. Gwyrdd's scabbard scrapped against the stone, loosening small rivulets of dust and pebbles onto the floor below him and into the air around him. He winced in the cool, murky darkness, waiting for his eyes to adjust. It was far pleasanter down here with the sunlight not nearly as bright as it had been above. Somewhere in the distance, a geyser rumbled.

The breaks in the cavern roof let in a fair amount of light with which to see by. Above him, Lucy, Eustace, Caspian, Arran and Rynelf waited. When they saw that he was unhurt and that there seemed to be no threats they, too, climbed down the rope and into the cavern. Edmund ventured deeper into the open space as they did so; the underground chamber was held up by boulders and pillars of rock. To his left, a large, seemingly deep, body of water lay. Well, in his mind he said "lay," because it didn't really move; it was utterly, perfectly still.

And the idea of something so still, as if it were only sleeping, unsettled him in a way he found indescribable.

An urge to peer into the water to see how deep it truly was, gripped him, and as much as he wanted to avoid it – haven't we all had the horrible image of standing before a dark body of water and some terrible beast jumps out and drags you back into it – the idea would not go away; it stubbornly insisted on being heeded. So, with a fraction of trepidation, Edmund approached the water.

If he hadn't already mentally prepared himself for the sight of something horrible beneath the water, he might have cried out in alarm. The statue was startling; in and of itself it was a beautiful yet cruel piece of work. It was the most detailed statue made of gold Edmund had seen in all his Narnian and Earthly years. Every detail, down to the strands of hair, had been done to perfection. Leaning forward a bit, resting his hand on his hilt, he stared in fascination, wondering how it had ended up here and how it had fallen into the water in such a way.

"Edmund, what is that?" Caspian called as he and the others joined the king.

"I don't know. I was debating that myself; it looks like some kind of golden statue," the young man answered, straightening up to meet them. He glanced back at the golden object for a second as he spoke, however, his mind captivated by the strange sight.

Everyone moved closer to the water to look. Everyone except Arran, who stood back from the water; he leaned against a long, wide boulder supporting the ground above them.

"I could dive in and see if there are any other such creations or to see how heavy that is; it may only be plated with a thin layer of gold," Rynelf suggested.

"You don't want to be doing that." The pirate's voice suddenly rang out across the space.

"You've been quiet up till now; if there's a reason why I can't go in that water, then tell me," Rynelf insisted. He was tired of the Star acting disconnected and superior.

"I was merely saying that the depth might be greater then you thought; it usually is in underground chambers, where the water has never been exposed to sunlight, and the mud lies still and undisturbed at the bottom," Arran replied calmly enough, fiddling with the gold brooch, which the sailor had given back to him before they'd ventured down the rope.

Edmund looked about, wondering what they might use to measure the depth. With a triumphant gleam in his eye, he noticed several thick, dead vines which had latched themselves onto a boulder not far away. He walked to them and grabbed the strongest looking one. When he pulled it from the slightly crumbly rock, a shower of dust fell on him. Ignoring it, he walked back to the water. Behind them, Arran smiled. Eustace glanced at him with a worried frown; the pirate was acting truly off.

Steadying himself on the edge, Edmund dipped the stick down into the water. Momentarily, he frowned before dropping the stick with a cry, struggling to keep his balance. Caspian leaned forward and grabbed his flailing arm quickly, pulling him back, keeping him from plunging into the water.

"What happened?" Eustace called out, coming to his cousin's side.

"I- the stick, it- it got so _heavy_," Edmund managed, recovering his composure.

"Maybe the water just makes things _look_ gold, because your stick looks the same color as the statue now, Ed," Lucy remarked observantly.

"What?" Edmund, Caspian, Eustace and Rynelf all turned to stare at her.

"Yes, come look; it's the exact same color as the statue!" she insisted, waving her hand for them to come back to the water's edge while she peered into its depths.

When they came to her side, they were surprised to see she was right. Down in the water, next to the statue, lay the stick, colored a beautiful gold. "That's not right," Edmund mused aloud, turning back for another stick. It was smaller, and this time, when he dipped it into the water, it became heavier, but not before they could all see that it was changing to gold as soon as it touched the water. Uneasily, Edmund dropped the second stick.

They looked at one another, horrified. Caspian voiced the thought on everyone's mind with minimal emotion in his voice, "He must have fallen in."

"Oh, the poor man!" Lucy cried, compassion on her face for whoever it was that had had to experience such a gruesome fate.

"I think the correct words would be 'poor Lord,'" Eustace corrected, pointing to a golden shield emblazoned with a cross-like emblem lying in the water not far away.

"The crest of Lord Restimar," Caspian confirmed.

"And his sword!" Edmund said, noticing it not far away from the shield, lying on a shelf of rock just under the water.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Now, whose sword did he take again?" Edmund asked as Caspian held his wrist so he could lean out and grab the other sword with Gwyrdd.

"I can't remember; Rezef's? No, wasn't it a woman?" Caspian frowned as he thought about it.

"Does all that really matter? Just get the sword without falling in!" Eustace chided, scared more than he'd admit that both of them were going to topple into the quiet water. In the tension, with all eyes on Edmund and Caspian, everyone was ignorant to the tendrils of green mist that drifted from the shadows like smoke from a slowly burning fire.

"Yes, Eustace is right, be careful!" Lucy said plaintively.

"Your sword hasn't turned to gold," Rynelf noted with some surprise, as did everyone else when Edmund slowly raised the two blades from the water.

"Bright, isn't he?" Arran needled, a mocking tone in his voice. Rynelf turned and frowned at him momentarily before looking back to the kings.

"Well, I'd imagine that since both the swords are magical, they wouldn't be affected by the water," Caspian said slowly, concentrating more on ensuring that Edmund right himself safely without touching the water or dropping the blades than he was on the spat between the sailors behind his back. "Here," he called, grabbing the newest blade by the hilt as Edmund precariously tried to stand. With the added weight gone, Edmund could rise unassisted. He stared at the weapon that he'd risked his life to save, breathing heavily. Caspian grinned at him, also trying to catch his breath after the adrenaline rush.

"He mustn't have known what hit him," Lucy remarked sadly, glancing back at the Lord's figure in the water. She brought everyone's attention back to it, which was probably a mistake.

"Maybe," Edmund agreed, still unwilling to go near the water after his brush with a golden death. Immortalization by song and story was one thing; immortalization by turning to gold was another.

"If you want to look at it _that_ way, maybe he was on to something," Arran spoke from the background. Everyone turned to him.

"I might be a pirate and spend three tenths of my life at sea and seven tenths in the sky, but I'm no fool to the possibilities here," he continued slowly.

"What are you saying, exactly?" Caspian asked, leaving off studying the newest blade to look at the pirate.

"A pool that turns things to gold." he motioned with the length of his arm back at the water. Edmund caught his meaning quicker than the others, turned around, knelt before the water, quickly dipped a small shell into it and pulled it back out, dropping it on the ground. The entire thing turned to solid gold. He picked it up; it was as real as all of them. He looked at Arran again.

"Just think of all the power," Arran murmured enticingly, riveting his gaze on the shell. "All the gold you want, everything would become within your reach, and So. Very. Possible," he said, his voice oddly disassociate, as if he was in a trance. Edmund stared back down at the shell in his hand, a wild, crazed look coming into his dark eyes.

"Whoever has access to this pool… Could be the most powerful person in the world," Edmund explained, catching on. Eustace shared a concerned glance with Lucy. They were not affected by whatever was happening, and it scared them; not knowing what would come next.

"Lucy, we'd be so rich. No one could tell us what to do or _who_ to live with." He glanced at Eustace as he spoke.

"You can't take anything out of Narnia, Edmund," Caspian's voice rang out, clear in the deranged silence. Lucy breathed a sigh of relief along with Eustace, thinking he'd be able to help Edmund.

"Who says? We've all managed it, one way or another; at least, Peter has," Edmund contradicted.

"I do." Caspian straightened.

The look of pure mortification that came across Lucy's face told Eustace that something wrong had just been said.

"And what if I want to use this pool, what then would you do?" Arran asked walking forward slightly, his hair gleaming a soft gold color in the beams of light piercing the cracks in the ceiling.

"This is Narnia; I rule Narnia; you gave up that right years ago, Edmund. And you, you're a pirate; you have no country, no king; you could not use it even if you wanted to," Caspian answered, his tone sharp.

"I'm not your subject that you can command," Edmund said, his voice rising imperiously, a slightly mad tremor behind it.

"As you said, I've neither country nor king; you do not own me either," Arran said threateningly, pulling his blade several inches from his scabbard.

"And yet you do what I tell you; you go where I want," Caspian pointed out, watching both carefully.

"That's not true; I only do things because we agree first!" Edmund shouted, picking Gwyrdd up from the stone floor.

"Please, stop it!" Lucy shouted, half begging, half imploring.

"I had no choice; it was that or be hanged," Arran tossed in his own argument against Caspian's words, all three ignoring Lucy's cries.

"Perhaps the both of you just like taking orders; you seemed to do that rather well when Peter ruled Narnia, Edmund," Caspian said belittlingly.

"You Telmarine dog, if anyone is a pirate, if anyone is in the wrong, it's you! Who invaded and stole Narnia? Your people did; in fact, I do believe you're named after the traitor who lied to the Narnian regents!" Arran shouted, his blade making a sharp rapport against Caspian's as he lashed out angrily.

Caspian brushed off the pirate's advance easily. But then Edmund began once more.

"I'm tired of it seeming that way, as if I'm always second fiddle! First it was Peter, and now it's you! Do you know who the king responsible for burning your people over and over when the fools wouldn't learn that Narnia wasn't theirs was? Me. I devised the plans, showed Peter how to execute them. I was the wisest man in all of Lumea. Peter could not best me when it came down to the quickest, most efficient ways to teach idiots a lesson!" Edmund shouted, raising his blade.

"You think you're so wise? Prove it! After all, it was _my_ people who wiped _yours_ out!" Caspian challenged, meeting Edmund's blade halfway. Without giving it much thought, Caspian unsheathed Rhindon as well, blocking a clever maneuver Edmund typically used.

"Oh, that is low, Caspian. Don't you know anything but what I taught you in the How?" Edmund mocked, gesturing to the two blades.

"Must _everything_ I do be taught me by either you or Peter?" Caspian argued, jerking back, freeing his blades.

"Yes, because you don't understand Narnians, and you _never_ will!" Edmund replied, swinging his sword.

"But what about me, if you fools kill one another, what do I do? Keep everything, because that sounds enticing." Arran's voice interrupted their spar. The two kings faced the pirate, caught off-guard.

"Oh, don't look at me like that, you know I'm a pirate; I have no loyalty; I don't care if you kill each other or what happens to you, but I _would_ like to know about the _Dawn_ _Treader_ and this pool," Arran waved away their looks of startled surprise, talking as if he was discussing whether or not he should buy rice or beans. He walked down into their midst, gazing past them to observe the water. "I really would like to know, so hurry up," he motioned to their swords, as if the death and victory to follow would decide his quandary.

"On the other hand…" he whirled, sword bared and lunged at both of them.

"You're a lying double-crosser!" Caspian observed in annoyance, pushing Arran away to parry Edmund's coming blow. Arran in turn lashed out at Edmund.

"I am not a double-crosser; that's what you call idiots like Pug; I like to think of myself as a man of fortune; whatever fortune I find inadequately protected is mine!" Arran said lightly, as if answering an exceedingly simple question.

"Stop it, all of you!" Lucy screamed forcefully, pulling her shortsword and banging all of theirs into a tangled clatter, blades pointed toward the ground. Eustace and Rynelf quickly joined in, Eustace using the dagger Arran had given him earlier and Rynelf's shortsword to press down on top of Lucy's. All the men dropped their blades, staring at them.

"Rynelf, get the blades," Lucy ordered. The sailor quickly obeyed. Lucy didn't know how far they'd been enchanted, but she knew she had to talk while she had their attention.

"Just look at yourselves; can't you see what's happening to you?" she asked while Eustace and Rynelf held the weapons out of reach. When Eustace dropped one, Arran's gaze darted toward it sharply. Caspian and Edmund glanced at one another, feeling a bit confused. "This place has tempted you. It's bewitching you, and none of you can see it!" Her voice rose at the end when Arran moved toward the fallen sword. But he stopped, as if struck, when she spoke.

"How do you know?" the Star snarled, anger turning his eyes dark blue, a fierce light in them Lucy had never seen before.

"Can you not hear yourself? This is exactly what Coriakin said would happen!" Lucy shouted forcefully, her eyes meeting his in an icy stare. With a low, indistinguishable sound, Arran averted his gaze, slinking away from her. Edmund's eyes met Caspian's but he quickly looked away, remembering what he had said about the other king's people.

"We have the sword; we should go, _now,_ before anything worse than a spar happens," Lucy said, keeping her voice imperious, noticing that when she did, Arran retained his docile composure. Edmund stared down at the golden shell that he still held tightly in his hand. What a horrible thing he'd almost done for such a small, meaningless object, he thought, before tossing it back to the dark water he'd taken it from. Slowly, a green mist circled the gold as it sunk, screeching with pleasure; it had succeeded.

The sailor and Eustace kept the swords, walking behind everyone so that Edmund, Caspian and Arran would have to go through Lucy to take them back. Eustace could not understand Arran's actions, whenever Lucy said anything, gave a command, he shied away from her, as if her very presence and the sound of her voice was painful for him.

When they reached the rope, Lucy told Rynelf to go up first, taking all the swords with him, and to hide them before he let the others come up. She decided she'd send him back for them later, once everyone was shipboard again. She turned quickly as she was giving directions, hearing footsteps behind her. Hand on her hilt, she faced Arran. "What is it?" she asked, her left hand moving to finger her dagger.

"Thank you, my Queen, for saving us – saving me. You have great power, power which can hold sway over the darkest force; do not forget. Perhaps one day you will need to use it, and when that day comes, I pray I fight on your side," he said before turning away. Lucy stared after him, wondering what he had meant. Eustace shrugged in confusion when she shared a glance with him, not understanding it either.

"Come on; let's get out of here; it's evil," Lucy urged, motioning for Eustace to go up before her. As she waited her turn, she gazed about the cavern once more. The silence was deadly and reminded her too much of what had just transpired. Echoing from some distant shadow, a geyser erupted, making Lucy flinch at the haunting sound.

"It will be better once we depart this vile place," she whispered, quoting a dryad she'd once known who had been her battle scout.

But deep in the shadows, something stirred. Something ancient, something dark.

* * *

**A/N:**

**So, I felt this was a productive chapter! Oh, I do so like macabre situations! (I don't know why, don't ask me, the only thing I _do_ know is that I'm recognizing an affinity with Sherlock... We both laugh over the oddest things and find certain dire situations amusing...) Maybe I'm a low-functioning sociopath? (Well, _I_ thought it was funny...) **

**I love that show! I watched like two seasons in a night, well, more like two days and one night... (Oh, sorry, moving on...)**

* * *

**Ok, Jesus' girl 4ever was my Beta again on punctuation, so, round of applause for her, she's sticking with it after such long chapters and agonizingly incorrect punctuation!**

* * *

**Problem... I seem to be getting bored with writing. Not just writing this story, any writing in general. I don't know why. Usually what happens during this time is my brain gives birth to a bunch of un-thought-through, half-baked ideas. I'm working on it, believe me, I won't stop now, not when we're so close...**

**I knew this would happen after watching Sherlock and getting into my favorite (most-times deliciously depressing, dunno, sometimes it feels good to be depressed, oh, gosh, see what happens when I watch Sherlock?) subject, WW2. Gad, someday I need to post the letters German soldiers wrote back home to family from the Stalingrad front. You will be sobbing, believe me... **

**Ok, so, I knew this would happen when I sent my brother to the library on Library Day to get me Sherlock to rewatch season two so I could finally watch (catch up for s4) ****season three (No TV, and I don't have Netflix so I have to wait until the seasons come out on DVD, boooring) Anyway, I knew this would happen so I wrote several chapters in advance.**

**Said chapters have almost run out. But it's OK! I'm working on it. **

**Now, moving on... **

**When I wrote the dagger scene, I did it as tribute (small, small tribute) to the scene in the film where Caspian hands Eustace a dagger and doesn't say anything about it except "here." Such a boring line... Anyway (trying to keep my sarcasm out), The dagger is important, you'll see. **

**I liked so much writing the fighting scene! Nothing really to talk about there... In fact, I'm just going to shut up and go away, let ya'll review, all right? I want to hear things from your pov, so, go at it!**

**(Blast, still too many words a chapter...)**

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**ILoveFanfiction:**

**I hope you're doing well and that I'm not boring you, am I? I really think I am... But then, I get bored easily and unless something really holds my attention, I start leaving it... Not that I blame you, this story has really dragged out unlike the last one... Anyway, miss you,**

**WH**


	29. When Everything Crumbles

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: When Everything Crumbles **

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Lucy watched her brother, Caspian, and Arran warily. After the unbalanced moment in the cavern, she didn't trust them, especially with their swords, which Rynelf had carefully hidden to retrieve later. Edmund and Caspian seemed more confused than Arran, asking her what exactly had transpired. Lucy knew that everything had been happening too fast for her to pay much attention to detail, but she tersely told them that they might have killed each other if she hadn't done what she had. If everything else was a muddle, what they had said to each other wasn't, and Edmund could not look at Caspian, nor the king him, without quickly turning their glances away, knowing that what they'd said was wrong, but in the whole, carrying some fragments of truth.

Every time Edmund thought about it, all he could do was berate himself his moment of insanity. "What an idiot I've just been, acting as if I really cared about some measly golden pool," he muttered under his breath as they came down to the boat beached on the shore.

Arran stopped and stood still as they came to the shore. Since he'd talked with Lucy, he had not uttered a word, nothing of apology, asking no forgiveness for what he had started in the cavern. Eustace walked past him, saying something which involved supplies aloud to Lucy who was standing with Rynelf.

"Eustace." Arran motioned for the boy to come to his side.

"I don't really trust you right now, so make this quick," the boy said curtly, briefly meeting the Star's gaze and then looking away.

"This morning, when we first stepped on shore, I gave you a dagger. _Why_, Eustace, why did I give you a dagger?" Arran asked, his voice sharp with clarity, something it had been lacking in the cavern.

"Because you have an odd habit of giving weapons to the defenseless, I suppose?" Eustace scoffed sarcastically. "I don't know, Arran, and I don't have time for your weird games; you won't do to me what you did to them." Eustace started walking down the slope.

"Eustace, how did I sound when I began talking; what did I say; what have I done?" Arran asked, grabbing the boy's sleeve, his voice taking on a hint of urgency. Eustace turned back to Arran, a scowl on his face, when he realized Arran genuinely did not know what had happened. His face, his eyes, betrayed him.

"I know what I did down there, I-I remember that, but of before, I have no recollection," Arran admitted desperately. "Something had gotten hold of me, something dangerous."

"What, are you saying that your state of odd abasement was because something was, without physical being, fighting you? Arran, you're a really wonderful liar; the kids at my school would love to hear you tell stories!" Eustace said in a degrading tone, done with the Star's tricks and deceit.

"No, oh, for but a moment I wish you were a dragon once more; then you would understand!" Arran declared, scowling deeply. He turned away slightly but stopped, pulling the brooch from his pocket and staring at it. With a sudden swing of his arm, he sent the object hurtling toward the water in a long arc.

"Why ever did you do that?" Eustace asked, slightly frustrated; there was no reason to get rid of the object in such a dramatic way.

"Because it is cursed; it is deadly," Arran said in curt explanation, staring hard at the spot where the golden trinket had sunk beneath the water.

"Come on," Eustace muttered, grabbing the pirate's sleeve when he noticed Lucy motioning. The boy could not wait to return to the ship and sail as far away from here as possible.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Susan was waiting when they returned to the _Treader_, along with Gavan, Zephyr and Serene. But the group was oddly silent, and everyone went their own way after coming on board. Susan came up to Lucy after she and Rynelf returned from retrieving the swords. "What happened?" she asked, keeping her voice low.

"Let's not talk about it here; just give Drinian the orders to sail; this place is dangerous," Lucy replied, taking the swords, with Rynelf's help, to a safe place until they were far away from this island. Susan stared at her sister oddly but gave the order.

Gavan knew there was something wrong; he'd seen his brother and noticed the change in him. He came up to Lucy where she was standing, watching the island fade into the background. "Something happened back there, and it has to do with Arran, doesn't it?" he asked calmly; he knew what Arran was capable of.

"Gavan, your brother, Edmund, and Caspian nearly tried to kill each other over some pool of water that turned things to gold; it was awful," Lucy said, her voice fading to a whisper.

"Don't be so worried; Coriakin told us we would be tempted; it's happening. They'll be all right once we return to open water; will they trust each other is the question now," Gavan pointed out wisely.

"That's what I've been debating. You should have heard them! Edmund going on about subduing Caspian's people, Caspian talking about Edmund taking orders better than giving them; I've never seen a worse argument, ever." Lucy closed her eyes briefly, trying to rid herself of the image of her brother facing Caspian, angry enough to try to kill him.

"They are kings, and Edmund has a harder time of it than most. But then, so does Caspian. They will come to an understanding; it's my brother I worry about. He's misled your friends and family once; how many more times will he do it?" Gavan wondered aloud, looking grim.

"I almost wonder if he wasn't tempted too; he was so unlike himself," Lucy tried to defend Arran, because he had been acting odd.

"Or perhaps you're finally seeing him in true form," Gavan replied, glancing down at her.

"I don't know; I'm just glad we're all still alive," She said, feigning cheerfulness. Her conscience was deeply troubled, and she was beginning to doubt her trust in her brother and friends. They had been so willing to kill one another for a small body of magical water; what would they be willing to kill for next?

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Drinian watched the group come aboard and noted that they all seemed to be acting rather unusual; he wondered what the problem was, especially when he noticed Rynelf return to the island and then come back to the ship with a bundle of swords. Most unusual. He couldn't obtain straight answers from anyone, not Susan, the Stars or even Rynelf, who remained stoically mum even when questioned.

"I wonder what happened," he queried aloud, glancing back to see the island in the distance, looking all the more lonely than before. The only deduction he could arrive at that held the slightest plausibility was temptation, and that made him uneasy. The idea that even his brave leaders could succumb to the smallest obstacle in life was worrisome. It made him doubt.

As he pondered temptation and its many winding, twisted paths to ruin, Rhince came up beside the helm. For several minutes, it was quiet, Drinian in his thoughts and Rhince waiting to gather the words he wished to speak.

"Have the kings or the queen told you why Rynelf brought back their swords separately?" he asked finally, his voice low and quiet.

"I was just pondering that, because no, they haven't seen fit to inform me yet," Drinian replied after a moment's pause.

"I thought as much, but I wanted to ask nevertheless." Rhince leaned against the rail in front of the helm, staring out across the ocean.

"It bothers me that they're keeping silent about it; it makes me think that something unsettling happened to them, something rather disarming," Drinian commented after a bit, when he noticed Rhince was not going to continue.

"I thought the same. I also thought that it might be dangerous to continue if things pursue this risky path. My wife is dear to me, but she would not wish I find and rescue her at the sacrifice of so many lives. If things become too perilous, we must think about taking matters into our own hands and turning back to Narnia and safety. Aslan will protect us as he always does," Rhince declared.

"I was thinking in kind," Drinian agreed with a nod.

"I had best be taking my watch then," Rhince remarked a few quiet minutes later, straightening and going down the stairs. Drinian pondered what he had said, himself now thinking about having to take up matters if the monarchs became mentally unable to.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"I have brought all of us here because I must know what transpired on that island, and we must name it anyhow. I cannot do that without all of you," Susan declared, motioning to them as she spoke.

After putting Rilian down for his nap, she had gathered Lucy, the Stars, Caspian, Edmund, Serene, Reepicheep and Eustace to talk. She would have retrieved Rynelf, but he was occupied with a sailor's task and could not abandon it. Susan had received no explanation for the odd events of a few hours earlier, and since no one was offering answers, she was going to get them. Even if she had to force the issue.

"Goldwater," Arran muttered. The pirate stood in the back of the room, arms crossed, leaning against the wall. He had been the most silent of the group and had not tried to beg out of the meeting unlike the others.

"What Arran?" Susan looked at him. Several others did too, namely Edmund, who scowled, and Eustace, who seemed puzzled.

"Oh, call it Goldwater and be done with the whole messy, bloody business," Arran retorted with sarcasm, looking angry and uncomfortable.

"What do you mean?" Susan raised a dark eyebrow curiously. "You seem the only honest, talkative one of the shore party; please explain," she added. Now it was Caspian's turn to scowl.

"Keep silent if you know what's good for you," Edmund whispered, glaring at the pirate.

"None of you have told her then?" the pirate glanced at them, surprised. Edmund closed his eyes, hand covering his face as he inhaled sharply. Caspian merely stiffened, staring blankly at another corner of the room.

Well, we got into a bit of a row, about gold. More specifically, water that could turn things _into_ gold. It was my fault; I started going on and on about the uses for such things; I can't say truthfully what came over me. I got them fighting, and we would have perhaps spilled blood if it hadn't been for Lucy and Eustace. Lucy has great power," Arran added in an offhand manner, his eyes falling on the girl.

The room was silent, and Susan seemed shocked for several moments. "You tried to get my brother and husband to fight?" she asked, frowning slightly as she tried to understand.

"More or less, but I wasn't trying; something on that island was dangerous, and I think we have made it worse falling for temptation," Arran said, looking off with a thoughtful frown himself. "It was ill," he whispered under his breath, playing with a tassel on his hilt like he was apt to do when thinking.

"It seems that the place was nearly the death of too many of our party; why not call it Deathwater Island?" Reepicheep spoke up from the corner he had been standing in. Everyone turned to him, having forgotten he had come, so quiet he had been.

Now, Reep wasn't normally this quiet, but he had been during the whole episode because he wanted to observe his old friend and the monarchs. What he saw bothered him so much that he had been lost in thought for a while. Remembering that they should name the island even though it was the place of such horrors and near-death experiences, he blurted out the first idea that came to his mind. Deathwater Island had a macabre appeal to it that he knew most people would like the name, and he was not far off in that assumption.

Slowly, Susan nodded her head, followed by an agreeing little bob of her own from Lucy, even though the mention of the island caused her hand to fly to her dagger in reflex. Caspian and Edmund shared glances, still not talking to one another. The name would be an ugly reminder for all eternity of what had transpired between them; they would never forget.

Slowly, tiredly, as if it took too much energy to think of, Caspian agreed. "Dea– Deathwater Island it should be." He stumbled over the word, realizing that if things had gone differently, he might have killed Edmund or Edmund him.

"I don't think any other name will fit it now, even if we wanted it to," Edmund muttered, moving to go; he was tired of this, and he wanted to get out of the cabin.

"Yes," Caspian agreed in a low, absent voice. Neither one looked at the other for a moment; the whole room was silent, the tension charging the air strong enough to choke on when Edmund's eyes finally met Caspian's. They said nothing, but Edmund nodded and then walked out the door. Lucy glanced at Susan, and all the Queen could think was, '_here_ _be_ _dragons_.'

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Caspian stared blankly at the wall in the cabin the following morning from the chair he sat in, thinking. In fact, he had stayed up most of the night going over what he had told Edmund and what Edmund had in turn told him. The king had no idea in the world on how to atone for what he had said; Edmund never took orders, to be utterly truthful; he gave more to Caspian than the king was willing to admit, good ones, too. Edmund was, in everything but looks, his senior, and Caspian had ridiculed him and baited him without cause.

He sighed, resting his elbows on the table, his head in his hands. Sometimes he felt like such a boy again, and in his mind he would replay the words he had told Aslan that day at Beruna: _'I do not think I am ready.'_ Ready to grow up, to take responsibility, to have answers, to decide. He didn't _understand_! He was supposed to be the man with the answers, but he stood there with just as many questions as the little boy who had listened to his professor tell him fairytales of Narnians, far too many questions and too few answers.

This was why he wanted to go to the end of the world, to find some sort of reassurance that he could somehow _get_ the answers he desperately felt he needed.

One of the answers he already had; he must go apologize to Edmund. But he didn't know how he could without it seeming forced; he was still too offended himself over Edmund's words.

"Words, what dangerous little things; said without forethought, they can send a kingdom toppling and break an alliance in an hour," he mused to himself.

"I suppose everything I learn _is_ taught to me by Edmund or Peter. For here's yet another lesson." He smiled mirthlessly, wondering if he'd lost a friend.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Arran lean back in a hammock belowdecks, thinking about all that had transpired. A frown settled on his face as he sifted through his thoughts. Absently he was pulling apart a braid near his face, the pain when he hit a small tangle keeping him focused. He was trying to determined what had caused him to act as he had in Deathwater Island.

Deathwater.

What a brilliant name. Trust Reepicheep to bring up deathwater. Another time Arran had erred greatly. He had hoped to forget it; now it would be branded onto every map until Aslan brought Narnia to her end.

"How are you?" The small, calm voice brought Arran from his thoughts. His frown deepened.

"Right now I believe I could wring your neck and feel little to no remorse," he murmured, glancing at the mouse who was balancing above him on a rope that ran the length of the ceiling, which was where sailors hung blankets or clothes to dry.

"That's… disappointing, I suppose. But I reasoned that you would say something like that. I suggested Deathwater for your own good, Arran, and you know it," Reep replied, his voice firm and fatherly, which Arran was beginning to feel growing resentment towards.

"Oh, be quiet with all this wisdom; you have lived a middling amount of years and are ready to die, while I will never pass from life! I shall deal with that name to the end of all things; you have no idea the burden that is! I shall have to open a map, have to see that name, knowing what I did, a reminder of what I have done now multiplied twofold every time I read that name in ink!" Arran shouted, before his voice quieted, his anger spent for the moment.

"We learn things in life, and perhaps it is better to be reminded again and again of something than forgetting it and committing the same error over and over, don't you think? I have not lived as long as you, Arran, but I have seen and done many things in my life, some things I'm not very proud of. You will never die, but you will never be the solitary, disassociate beings that are the Stars of the heavens. Therefore, because you are a Star, you will be forever beautiful, forever alive and forever wise. But because you are human, forever erring, forever involved and forever learning. Life doesn't become perfect just because you live forever, Arran." Reep smiled slightly, looking down at the Pirate.

The Star was staring off into the dark, listening to what had been said. "I know," he whispered hoarsely; but he was not talking of what Reepicheep had said.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"In Aslan's Country, have- have you talked with Lucian and Lilianna?" Susan asked, coming up behind Serene, who was standing near the bow watching the stars slowly twinkle into being with the coming night. The question was one Susan had been longing to ask the other woman, but she had been hesitant, feeling that the question was awkward and out of place. Now, after all that had happened to them, Susan didn't think it so odd a thing to ask about.

"And what would my answer change?" Serene asked softly, turning her head to catch Susan's gaze in hers for a mere instant.

"I don't know. I do know that I never knew them and that I should like to know who they became, what they were, how they ruled Narnia as the last sibling monarchs," Susan replied softly, lightly running her fingers over the smooth wooden railing in front of her to distract herself.

"You knew the children they were; you have seen their portraits; can that not be enough for now? To know about them, and then to know of them, would that not make it hurt more?" Serene asked gently, trying to show Susan that the answers to her question would only make the ache at their passing and the lack of knowing them greater, not less.

"I know; it's just, I stare at those portraits, those figures so solemn and silent, wondering who they were. Who was King Lucian the Brave; who was Queen Lilianna the Fair? So many documents and histories were destroyed by the Telmarines over the years, so that I am left with speculations. Assumptions. I know nothing of the man who gave his life so that Narnia might live, nothing of the woman, either. So many times I have startled myself, thinking Lucian's portrait Peter's, that I wish I might know him and speak with him, see if he is truly as like his father as I fancy him to be," Susan admitted.

"Then continue to speculate, continue to wonder, so that, someday, you will be dazzled by the fine young man who, as you so elegantly put it, 'gave his life so that Narnia might live.' The dead do not come back; I am a rare – perhaps unheard of besides yourself and your siblings – exception. Someday all your questions will be answered. But, until then, you must know that he was every bit the king Peter would be proud of." Serene comfortingly placed her hand over Susan's as she spoke, steadying it against the wooden rail.

The two women's eyes met, and they shared smiles.

Susan did not move off, enjoying the companionable silence that was so rare now on this voyage. It was comforting to be near a woman who had seen as many years as she, who was a bit wiser, a bit more experienced. It made Susan feel less alone.

"Susan, when I left–" she broke off, inhaling sharply, which caused Susan to look at her, worried that something was wrong. "Oh, Susan, do you see it?" she cried, her voice hardly above a whisper. Serene pointed to something in the evening sky, which was growing brighter. Susan focused her eyes on it.

"Serene it's…" she trailed off, surprise silencing her. "By Aslan, is that a blue star?" Susan whispered breathlessly, turning her gaze on Serene.

"Oh, it is, it is! Susan, the Blue Star! There it is, to lead us to Ramandu's Island," Serene whispered in awe, her arm laced through Susan's in her barely contained excitement.

"We must tell the others." Susan suddenly realized, jerking from her reverie at seeing the glowing sphere.

"Yes, we must!" Serene agreed, turning and running back across the deck like a young girl, Susan not far behind.

In the east, the star rose ever higher, a bright, blue-white pinpoint of light to lead them on and on. To Aslan's Table, to the end of the world.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Well, hello again! I am giving ya'll a bonus chapter, because it is imperative that you answer a question in this A/N. Hence, then, early chapter! (yay!) But there should be another chapter coming next Tuesday, don't worry!**

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**So, this is another filler/plot-moving chapter. Really, I do enough of these that I'm amazed at your perseverance to keep reading! The next chapter should have some Gavan/Lucy for all concerned, I've been putting that off and I feel badly about it, but as it didn't really move the main plot (except the subplot of this character/OC pairing) I had to cast it aside in favor of the main plot.**

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**Jesus' girl 4ever was my Beta again! Round of applause for her, I do so love her help! (More than I can express, just know that.)**

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**So, finally, the Blue Star! Ok, questions for my readers! (Oh I love doing this, so much fun to get input from ya'll! Not that I don't already, but this is _more!)_**

**_Question for Readers:_ Ok, in the film, Liliandil is the only one we see on Ramandu's Island. Do you want me to do just movie-plot/my-plot, or do you want me to go more along the lines of book-plot/movie-plot/my-plot? ****What other suggestions for this scene do you have to offer, in other words, what would you like?**

**That's what I've been doing so far, but I was wondering. I love the book and was thinking that I'd go for that. Of course, this means another (probably long) chapter before the climax and plot!twist. (I can't remember if that's how you do that or not, forgive me.) **

**Yes, there will be a plot twist that has nothing whatever to do with the movie or the book. strictly My-plot with a few movie/book elements thrown in. Feedback please! :)**

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** That moment with Caspian, how he's talking about feeling like a child, is something my dad told my brother and me once. I made it fit Caspian, of course, but, generally, it's the same. I found the concept and the whole idea very useful and interesting. **

**I felt like I just had to have Susan ask Serene about Lucian and Lilianna; because Susan was the one person who could calm Peter and keep him stable after returning to England (refer to Star Crossed). I just think that underneath all her stoic, up-building demeanor, she really wanted closure and information about her niece and nephew. **

**She wanted to sleep easy knowing that the fears Peter felt, the uncertainties she carried, were unfounded. That Lucian was a good king and that he and Lilianna had not suffered much by The Four's leaving. But Serene can't tell her that, she lived through that time. She might have even felt their suffering because of the magic Aslan gave her. **

**She doesn't want to hurt Susan by telling her that Lucian and Lilianna did, indeed, do well, but had been angry at the loss of the Pevensies as guides and teachers in their rule. She wants Susan to remain unburdened, because Serene has seen the King and Queen after the pain of ShadowNarnia, but Susan wants to know of that life only. Serene could not begin to describe Aslan's Country to her, and the old, yet made new, people who live there. **

**So she gave her one bit of hope to go on, and knew she best leave it at that.**

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**Oh, such great questions! I'm so glad your not bored, *whew* what a relief!**

**I know, that's sort of what I was going for with the tag game, just a reaction and relaxation moment. **

**I think you shall be pleased with TLB, it will (hopefully) be epic and meticulously done! (Can you believe we're almost there?) I can guarantee that book 3 will have more than flashback scenes; I think you will enjoy it! **

**I will work on that thought for TSC (book 3)! That is very good and I can always use such input! (Especially now, mostly now, probably it would be good to bring that sort of thing up now) I can't remember if he did or not, I don't think so, but I will go read and find out! All right? Good. **

**Really? Seriously? The next script is finished?! Fantastic, let's all throw a minor over-the-internet party! Chips and salsa all around, Chardonnay, anyone? (sorry, I kinda have a thing for wine, Chardonnay and lemonade in particular.)**

**I'm glad you're still enjoying Durin's Price, isn't she a great writer? **

**I understand about having a life outside of FFN, so, you don't need to offer up any excuses and/or reasons why you didn't have time to read this. **

**I'm so glad you liked the fight scene! *dance of happiness* Yay! Though I never thought it would be seen as that good... Awesome! I know I said that Caspian wanted the pool, not Edmund, but I had to do it this way because Edmund would have been able to follow Arran's train of thought faster, since he _is_ the Just King for a reason. **

**But Caspian wanted it too, no denying that. He was simply trying to keep Edmund from having it. Yeah... Arran's got some problems. *glares at him over shoulder* Don't worry though, I think he'll get better! We'll see... *won't we, Arran?***

**Yes, Caspian does indeed use two swords because Edmund taught him swordplay with two back at the How (I think you were the one who brought this to my attention in a much earlier review). That's what he means by 'everything he knows is taught him by Peter and Edmund' (not a direct quote, but, you got it). **

**I know what you mean about Lucy, that's what I'm going for too! I think that she wasn't allowed to show in full just _why_ she was called valiant. It's disappointing, but, it can be fixed! I believe we shall indeed learn more of this Lucy in my Prequel/companion? book on the Golden Age and post Dark Age. (I call the Telmarine invasion the 'Dark Age.' It's on my profile if you need to know more.)**

**I promise you now, Gavan/Lucy**** is coming, believe me! So glad you hear from you again!**

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**Happy reading, ~ WH **


	30. Would We Regret, Would We Forget?

**Chapter Thirty: Would We Regret, Would We Forget?**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

"Wonderful, darling, I should have Prof– a _blue_ _star_, truly?" Caspian woke quickly, disbelief on his face as he stared at his wife. After his late hour the night before, he had decided to retire early this evening, feeling exhausted after going over all the problems and complications that had arisen since they'd set out from Cair Paravel. However, upon hearing this astonishing news, he woke immediately. By the time he'd rolled out of the hammock, Serene was trying to get a contentious, belligerent Edmund from bed also. He'd never been good at waking when someone wanted him to, or when he hadn't given the conditions under which someone was to wake him.

"Blast it all! Can't a man get some sleep when he wants it? Or do I have t– to– Sue, did you just say 'blue star?'" Edmund refrained from yawning, ruffling his hair with his fingers as he stared at his sister and Serene, brown eyes wide with surprise and disbelief.

"Confound it and botheration, here I am, finally being quiet, sleeping, and you go shouting about blue stars! Thank heavens you finally found it; now let me– Whoa!" As Eustace ranted, he leaned a bit too far over his hammock and plummeted to the floor in a tangle of sheets, arms, and legs, having fallen atop Edmund, which in turn knocked him from his own hammock and to the floor.

"Get off me!" the older boy shouted in annoyance, still angry at being woken from the first deliciously pleasant slumber he'd had in a while.

"I'm not on you; you're on me!" Eustace hollered back, tripping and stumbling as he tried to stand.

"All this trouble for some star; I pray to any god who hears that it bring something good!" Edmund complained under his breath, pulling on his boots. He was still in quite the foul mood.

"Oh, do be quiet; you think I like being woken in the middle of the night because some fruitcake – I'm still positive all of you are half crazy – is babbling on about blue stars?" Eustace groused, tugging on one of his own shoes.

"Oh, fall down a rabbit hole, Eustace," Edmund muttered, standing.

"Do the same yourself, Edmund, if it will put you in better spirits," Caspian advised with a quick grin, moving toward the next room and the stairs that led above decks. Edmund narrowed his eyes at the other king's retreating back.

"You're supposed to be on my side," he muttered grouchily, hauling himself to his feet and quickly walking after Caspian.

"Well, he's not, so you're going to have to do one of two things, live with the disappointment or get over it," Eustace retorted cheekily, brushing past his cousin. Edmund wisely refrained from engaging in the conversation again and walked silently after the blonde boy to the deck.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

There in the east, the blue star rose from the waves, bigger than most fiery lights of the night, a natural beacon telling them they had been going in the right direction. "I never imagined it to be this large," Caspian remarked aloud.

"We are so close to the End of All Things; it shines the brightest as the guiding light that leads to the Country of the Great King," Arran answered, coming up beside them, eyes on the blue star as well. "The last earthly haven between the world and Aslan's Country rests beneath it," Arran declared momentarily, pointing toward the horizon.

"Past it, open ocean. And Dedathazura, Dark Island. The final wild shore before the fantastical wave that touches the sky," Zephyr added, slightly solemn, staring at the star ahead of them.

"Now so close to the edge of the world that star will shine day and night," Gavan commented, leaning against the railing.

"Drinian, mark the course!" Caspian called to the captain.

"Aye, your Majesty." The man left the helm in the command of Rhince and turned to the chart room.

Everyone stared at the Blue Star, which marked the End of all Things and the Beginning of something New.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The following morning, when everyone awoke, the blue star was shining in the sky just as Gavan had said it would. Its presence in the heavens unsettled both crew and company, realizing they were so close to their goal, so close to this voyage being ended, to returning home. It was frightening and thrilling, thinking that only months ago they were musing over what this voyage would bring and were now living their speculations, which were not what they had thought they would be.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Arran had climbed up onto the _Treader's_ dragon figurehead, relaxing in the wind as it pushed over the painted and gilded carving, filling the great purple sail. He closed his eyes, feeling the wind brush against his skin and ruffle its fingers through his hair. He had always loved the smell of the ocean on the breeze, the cry of gulls, and the crash of the surf. It filled him with inexplicable delight and pleasure; he couldn't imagine being anywhere else in the world at that moment.

With a sigh, he opened his eyes, thinking about the mist and the dangerous waters they were heading into. But he could not stop them; Coriakin had told him that; he shouldn't have even bothered thinking it. He remembered what the Magician had told him, about this being something that had to be done, something that would suffer consequence, but must be undergone. He gave a low growl of frustration; foolish mortals with their foolish ideas of death! His father had told him that Men went through that stage, when they thought they were unstoppable and immortal.

Withermere always said that that sort of temporary mindset came with consequences, however. "In which I shall either be forced to join, or rescue them from!" he muttered to himself, stretching out one of his legs, resting his arm on the other.

"Thinking?"

Arran jerked, opening one eye to survey Eustace standing on the ladder not far away. He shrugged in an offhand manner, closing his eyes again and relaxing. "In a way," he answered vaguely. Curse his mortal blood; he was starting to think of this one as his friend! Aslan knows how horribly that would work out for him.

"Mind if I join you? Everyone else is acting all preoccupied, now that we're following the blue star," Eustace said.

"Fine," Arran complied, trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice since Eustace was doing a good job of keeping the uncertainty out of his. Using his magic, Arran could tell that Eustace was still unsure of his loyalty. Really, Eustace would make a good Narnian ally from the World of the Kings and Queens of Old; he just had to get better at swordplay or archery. Maybe the crossbow, that didn't take much thought.

"So, are you scared yet?" Arran asked casually.

Eustace glanced at the pirate, whose eyes were still closed, a small smile on his face as the wind pushed against them lightly. "I don't know what I should be scared of, exactly. I mean, this entire adventure has been from one fright to the next for me. I suppose I'd be a bit better if I were to come back again, but who's to say that should ever happen?" Eustace replied, sitting next to the Star, clasping his hands around his legs and resting his chin on his knees.

"Ah, that wonderful thing you mortals call 'regret', is it? Worried that this is to be your first and last visit and that you ruined it utterly?" Arran asked, his voice annoyingly light. He was finding this suspiciously amusing.

"Not really. I just wonder if what happened to my cousins will happen to me. I'd hate to have taken all this time to get to know you only to come back thousands of years later and get to know some new people; that's not fun, that's roll call. I don't do names very well," Eustace admitted, shrugging, slightly embarrassed.

"Well, the good thing is, I shall always be here. I will never pass away from this land unless Aslan grants it to me to fall from the heavens. If ever you do come back, I will do all that is in my power to find you; how does that sound?" Arran tilted his head to the right to smile at Eustace, even though he could not believe he had just made that commitment. What really surprised him, however, was that he meant it.

"It sounds like a promise! I knew you couldn't truly be like how you seemed on Deathwater Island." Eustace smiled a bit, pleased with the promise.

"Yes," Arran remarked, his voice fading as he drifted back into his thoughts. For a fraction of an instant, a look of pain crossed his features. Deathwater; Reepicheep, how could you?

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Caspian stared at the swords, which he had laid out on the table once more. He was starting to notice a more bluish tinge to them that hadn't been there before and wondered about it. Three swords, four more were still unaccounted for, and they had almost reached Ramandu's Island. If they never found them, they were utterly without excuses as to why they hadn't. With a low sound of frustration, Caspian stood. He wanted to pace, that always helped him to relax. When was the last time he'd actually been able to do this? Oh, yes, at Bernstead, where the Lord had said he was more like his father when he did that.

His father; what an interesting subject.

He hated to think of it like that, but the older he got, the harder it was to remember Caspian IX. His father had become something of a topic of discussion, a part of his history he dearly wished to know more of. But there seemed so few people who could give him answers, besides the Professor or Lord Bern. Everyone said he was like the king, sounded like him, looked like him and acted like him in many ways; but was that true? Would his father have understood his characteristic impatience, his quick temper?

The only one who might have known Caspian IX as a normal man without the façade of a king was Miraz, and he was dead. So the answers Caspian hoped to find for these questions lay in Aslan's Country, but what if they could not get there? What if they fell to temptation just as so many of the Lords had? They were only humans, as were the Lords. There was nothing that separated them. Their fate looked grim, but if the years had taught Caspian anything, it was to have hope.

"_Do not regret what you cannot change." _

Aslan's words came to mind as he stared out the large window at the wake of the ship. He could not change this, there was no use regretting something that was not in his power to alter. Aslan was watching, and He would protect them. But that was so difficult to rely on, when the great lion was nowhere to be found and they sailed further into the unknown.

"What a frustrating dilemma," he muttered to himself.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The blue star seemed to grow ever brighter on the horizon, giving warning to the fact that they were very close to their destination. Everyone held their breath, just knowing something would prevent them from reaching the Island's shores; whatever lay beyond the Island of Ramandu would stop at nothing to keep those seven swords from being laid at Aslan's Table.

After the evening meal, Lucy stood on deck, her eyes fixed on the star, deliberating her and Edmund's part in this adventure; why, exactly, had Aslan brought them here?

"That must have been how Constance looked, when she learned her lover was a Star," Gavan remarked from behind her. He had come above deck to gain a reprieve from his arguing brothers; Arran was getting unmanageable and argumentative; Zephyr was little better, if only more reserved in his fury. Lucy was, in Gavan's eyes, the prettiest, fiercest person of the entire Narnian Company on this voyage, and, surprisingly, his calm when all else was unstable.

"Oh, hello, Gavan, I was just wondering what that Star must be like. You all seem to be so interesting; it's a bit surprising to know that every single one of those lights is a Star like you," Lucy said with a smile, looking back at the sky.

"That would be something you would think of," Gavan remarked with a thoughtful smile, coming to stand beside her.

"Is it?" Lucy glanced at him.

"Yes, you are that sort of person. Perhaps that is why you found Narnia first, insatiable curiosity," Gavan said, leaning against the rail and staring at the sky.

"That is quite a bit of flattery coming from you, Gavan." Lucy smiled and nudged him lightly with her shoulder before straightening again.

"They are honest words." Gavan sighed just a bit, glancing at her. This was when he thought she looked the loveliest, when she was enjoying something, marveling over simple things as if they were just as important as the great things. He'd never seen someone look at stars this way, loving them without knowing them.

"What's wrong? You seem troubled," Lucy noticed.

"Nothing. Well, that's not true. My brothers are starting to become troublesome, but that is not the problem. I worry about what will happen when you leave. No, you know that will happen; it will come no matter what you say. Twice already you have left Narnia. I worry because… it grows quieter, and I can hear only you. The night sky does not seem as alluring as it once was." Gavan's eyes met hers, some of his blonde hair falling over his forehead in the breeze.

"What are you saying?" Lucy rested her hand on his arm, concern reflecting in her eyes.

"That perhaps I was not made for the sky after all; perhaps forgetting its song is not as difficult as I thought." He smiled hesitantly.

"You would be willing to give up the sky for me?" her voice was laced with disbelief and surprise.

"And anything else," he whispered, moving closer to her. "I was wrong about so many things; for you I think I could give up whatever I must. Even immortality. The Stars are not constant, but love, love is constant and eternal."

"That was beautiful. But are you sure? Are you certain? It is not just this magic you and Arran say that I have that attracts you, which dims the songs of the sky?" Lucy asked searchingly.

"You have looked past what magic draws you to me; I learned these past days to realize that love is more than a kiss or whispered words of affection. It is friendship, an understanding that we share. Magic can only go so deep before you learn to see past it. I do not know if that is how my brothers ignore your power, but it is how I choose to, to determine my feelings for you, whether they be true or false," Gavan answered, cupping her cheek in his hand, smiling slightly.

"Then when we come to the end of this journey, we find out together what will come; do not dwell on the future. What has not yet happened will pass, but what is present should be treasured and enjoyed, made all the more precious when looked back and reflected upon," Lucy whispered in reply, bringing her hand up to cover his.

"You sound like a Star when you say things like that," he remarked, leaning forward to kiss her lightly.

"Is that wrong?" she asked, looking up at him after they parted. Her eyes were bright; whether from unshed tears or reflecting the light of the stars overhead, he did not know.

"For some reason, I think it is beautiful; I would wish it no other way," he replied, sliding his arm around her waist and slowly drawing her toward him. She smiled softly, resting her head on his shoulder and watching the stars twinkle into the darkening sky one by one.

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**A/N:**

**Well, here's the promised Gavan/Lucy. Sorry this chapter's so short, but, well, I didn't want to put anything of Ramandu's Island in it yet; I want that to be a separate chapter in and of itself. The quote in italics that Caspian recalls Aslan told him is in chapter 1 of Star~Crossed. **

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**Jesus' girl 4ever was my lovely Beta, so round of applause, please, for her!**

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**Let's see... **

**Arran can be a nice guy when he wants to - well, I should say, when he lets his façade of pirate captain down. I think that he and Eustace will be good friends. (Hint, they do meet again briefly in the following book.) I can't tell you why Arran decided to befriend Eustace, but he did, and I think that is about the nicest thing Arran's done so far. **

**The name of the chapter comes from A Dance Round the Memory Tree by Oren Lavie. (from Prince Caspian end credits, love that song, and I play it rather well on the piano, if I do say so myself!)**

**I liked the beginning of this chapter, the easy brotherly situation between all of them. Yes, Edmund did indeed reference Alice in Wonderland, couldn't help it; besides, it used to be one of my sister's favorite books when she was younger. (I did this with the mirror, I think. I never explained that reference, sorry!) Well, nothing really to write, this is a short chapter and any questions it might bring you guys can ask me, so,**

**Happy reading, WH**

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**ILoveFanfiction:**

**I hope life's been keeping you _pleasantly_ busy! It's the only way to be busy, but usually it's rare. I hope you're well,**

**WH**


	31. To Sit At His Table

**Chapter Thirty-One: To Sit At His Table**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

The days glided passed. The stars grew brighter and the constellations stranger with each passing day and night. Lucy and Gavan would talk often of them, Gavan telling her that this was more than likely the most they had ever been seen by mortals since the creation of Lumea. Sometimes, the weather was so pleasant in the evenings that they would all rather sleep on deck than in the cabins or sleeping quarters.

Caspian and Edmund talked occasionally on these nights, but it wasn't as companionable as before, it was more strained than either one was willing to admit, than either one wanted to notice. Though their willful ignorance did not make their argument on Deathwater Island go away, only continue to widen the rift between them, it helped them to converse with one another. Caspian confided his worries in the Just King and Edmund in turn told him to keep his mind on Aslan, telling him that to become concerned with failing was to be tempted in an off-handed way.

As always, Caspian listened, wondering how Edmund could have such faith after all they had undergone. But then, Edmund had lived a nightmare to tell the tale; he should have faith that would astound even the most devout priest.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

As the sun rose the following morning, Zephyr was standing on deck, staring at the horizon, wondering what lay beyond the sun, past the sky, when he saw something low and dark between them and the edge of the sea. Narrowing his eyes, he took several steps forward, trying to determine what the object was. Instantly, his blue eyes widened, and he stepped back. They had found the island that the Lords had failed to discover. Ahead of them, still unknown to the mortals, lay Ramandu's Island.

He turned sharply, running toward the stairs leading below decks to tell Arran what he had seen. By his guess, the island would not be visible to a human eye for at least a day; tomorrow morning everyone would know. The Stars' goal of protecting them would become harder by a wide margin.

"You've just seen the island?" Arran jumped to his feet, blonde hair flying as he brushed past his brother and headed for the stairs.

"Yes, this should become interesting after what Coriakin told us. You truly think that Caspian will do it, that Susan will do it?" Zephyr asked as he followed after his brother.

"Of course they'll do it; don't be stupid! To protect Narnia, Caspian would do anything, even die, I'd think," Arran replied snappishly, his temper rising. He and Zephyr had been clashing on many subjects of late, Gavan always barely keeping them from getting into a battle that might kill one of them.

"I wasn't being stupid! I was merely pointing out that Caspian's a father and a king; Susan is not just a woman, but a mother; they might react differently to the information they'll be told than we Stars are expecting. Don't bite my head off for seeing other options," Zephyr retorted stubbornly.

"What I wouldn't give for unlimited space and quite a bit of fire!" Arran hissed under his breath, scowling as he made it to the deck.

"I'd destroy you first," Zephyr muttered, pushing his brother roughly as he walked past.

"I'd like to watch you," Arran tossed back, turning on Zephyr.

"Oh, shut up. Cool your temper and go look at the island. I don't want to fight like this here," Zephyr muttered, turning away when a sailor began watching them curiously. Arran said nothing before walking to the bow. Once there, just as Zephyr had said, he could see Ramandu's Island between the ocean and sky, the last safe haven before the End of the World. The beginning of the end. He smiled dryly at that.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Your Majesty, Caspian, land on the horizon!" Drinian shook his friend and king awake, his voice cultivating an undertone of urgency.

"Drinian…" Caspian slowly moved to a sitting position, "What was that? I didn't catch it, forgive me." The king closed his eyes, running his fingers through his hair, pushing it back from his face as he tried to keep from yawning, before looking at the Lord. He had not slept well these past nights; nightmares and dreams of his father gave him little peace.

"Arran says we have arrived," Drinian said quietly, moving back a step as Caspian came to his feet.

"And he has led us true even after Deathwater and everything else," Caspian pointed out, noticing Drinian's stiffness when he mentioned the pirate. "I thought you liked him," he added, pulling on one of his boots.

"I don't know what to think, except that I missed the chance to hang the liar when I had it; I won't do that again," Drinian replied, his eyes moving from Caspian's to stare at the floor beneath him.

"Don't let a moment of weakness on Arran's part ruin a possibly good friendship; I nearly did that with High King Peter. You will regret it if you allow it to happen," Caspian said wisely, resting his hand on Drinian's shoulder before moving to wake Edmund. Drinian nodded, though the king couldn't see it, before turning and going back above deck.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

By the time everyone had spilled out onto the deck, the sun was rising in the east, giving backlighting to the island ahead of them, in its path. Even from this distance, it was beautiful. The only sound that could be heard was the crash of waves against the hull and the distant sound of waterfalls which shone as silver in the rising sun's rays as they fell upon the island. It was mountainous, but not as Dragon Island or Deathwater Island had been. Most of it, they would come to find, was hills and gently rolling, grass-covered slopes.

As they sailed closer, Edmund sometimes thought he could glimpse some sort of ruins among the plants and vegetation, but then he would always look again and see nothing. The island was so quiet; the sound of gulls could not be heard as they sailed around the formidable shores. But strange cries, like those of jungle fowl, Eustace declared, could occasionally be heard echoing from the high cliffs and forests. It took most of the day to find a safe port to weigh anchor at, and even then it was little more than in indention in the island, and the water further in was too shallow to draw the Dawn Treader up, which meant that they had to lower the longboats to reach the shore.

By the time they finally had settled enough to begin speculating on going to the shore, the sun was falling into the west. But it was finally reasoned out that if Aslan wanted them to come to this island, they could not pause for even a moment; who knew what that sort of momentary hesitation could mean if the dark magic was as strong as Coriakin and the Stars hinted?

Edmund took his torch and wore the blade Lord Bern had given him, while Serene and Lucy carried the other two. Slowly, since evening was settling in and none of them knew what strange animals might lurk on the island, they made their way inland. The island must have been hundreds of years old, Edmund surmised later, touching the great trunk of a tree that towered over the small party and covered the darkening sky, blotting out most of the setting sun's rays. They moved further inland with care.

Not more than twenty minutes from the shore they came upon the first of the ruins. Two columns stood covered in ivy and the roots of the age-old trees grew around their bases. The columns had been carved into two women, with their hands raised toward the heavens. Their faces bore dignified smiles, and the chipped, darkened carvings that made for their clothes and the diadems gracing their brows were in the style of queens.

"Stars," Zephyr breathed. As he whispered the word reverently, murmuring something in his peoples' tongue, everyone else peered closer at the columns that they passed, and noticed it too.

"Who were they?" Lucy whispered to Gavan, suddenly feeling that she mustn't speak aloud; the same feeling one gets in a cathedral when faced with beauty of centuries passed.

"They are part of the Elder, great Stars among the heavens, but you might know them as some of the brightest stars in the sky, part of The Leopard or The Spearhead. Lady Sarav and Lady Vesi are our names for them," Gavan explained as they walked between the two columns. Lucy nodded her thanks, staring off into the darkening landscape of trees and vines that had overtaken the place. As they followed the faded stone path, almost nonexistent in the vines and ferns covering over it, Lucy turned to catch a parting glimpse of the columns, wondering what this place had looked like before time had seen fit to erode it.

With Edmund now in the lead, using his torch to light the way, Caspian beside him, they came to a large tree that had grown over the path in a natural arch, green lichens and moss on its bark and hanging from its branches. Briefly Edmund flashed the beam of light over a crumbling statue of a gryphon with its head bowed, beak wide to eternally release a silent screech; its mate on the right of the path had long ago crumbled away. They passed a bit hesitantly through the tree and stopped at a bridge, underneath which ran one of the many streams that seemed to spread in a complex network over the island.

Edmund glanced at Caspian, before resting his free hand over his hilt, tightening his grip, and walking ahead of the party. The misty spray from the waterfall fell lightly over the group as they crossed the ancient, rail-less stone bridge. But soon enough they were passed it and walking down another old stone path.

"I'm beginning to wonder what went on here to cause such ruin. I see no sign of any battles of the past, but it lies as if torn down in siege," Edmund remarked under his breath as they passed several small statues of various Narnian beings, most, however, were Stars.

"I know," Caspian whispered in reply, the sleeve of his shirt brushing against a small stone statue in an overgrown, ivy-covered niche; it was of a man aiming a spear that had long ago been broken off near the tip, as he walked abreast of Edmund.

Edmund swallowed as he walked over yet another bridge; this one, however, was far wider, and curiously more elegant than the last, with stone balustrades and intricate carvings, even statues erected on pedestals every few feet. When they crossed the rather large expanse, Edmund's light found two thick pillars which trees had wrapped their roots around and taken over. Shining his light over them to check for animals or snakes, he noticed that at the bottom of both pillars was the carving of tales covered in plates of armor or dragon scales wrapping around the base. He said nothing on the matter and moved on, though his curiosity was piqued as to why dragons had been included in the designs.

The path had widened considerably, but again Edmund said nothing of the fact that this way they traveled had been made for four to walk abreast with space for another to go between. Many things in Narnia had been made that way during his rule, so it had almost escaped him until he realized that this ruin was thousands of years too old to have been made in readiness for him, his siblings, and Aslan to walk down the pathway.

"Edmund," Caspian's voice could barely be heard, and Edmund knew he was lucky to even have noticed it at all. He glanced at the king to his right. "Look." Caspian pointed with the tip of Rhindon, raising the sword a bit from his side at the direction of the ruined hall they were walking into. So Edmund looked, his light going ahead to illuminate what lay before him, though the moonlight and starlight suddenly seemed bright enough for all to have clear view.

Before the party of the Dawn Treader lay the most glorious feast Edmund had ever seen, rivaling and surpassing even the bounty and majesty of the feasts Peter had spread on his tables in his courts as High King. It was the most wonderful, queer sight Edmund had ever thought he'd see, stranger than a whole country in a wardrobe, even stranger than a painting coming to life and nearly drowning him. He stared in fascination before moving forward almost without his own volition. And, without question, without raising his voice and telling him to consider his actions, Caspian followed.

Those behind the two kings followed also.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The table, which stretched from end to end in the long, roofless hall, was set to perfection, something Susan had always overseen when she had been residing at Cair in the Golden Age. Every napkin, every setting, had to be placed just so, else it would never had done for the Gentle Queen. She, like Edmund, had always been a good ambassador, because she knew that first impressions mattered. But this table, oh, _this_ table, was more elegantly set than even Susan could have attempted. The dark red cloth that covered the carved stone was rich and expensive, golden brocade sewn around the edge, silver thread embroidered into it in Old Narnian fashion, telling tales simply with spidery pictures.

The food seemed surprisingly fresh, melons, pineapples, peaches, nectarines, grapes, figs. Some of the bounty was Narnian and some so beautifully strange the party knew it must have come from some land far beyond the sun. It all decorated the table on tiered stands. Cakes, tarts, pies, custards, both for dessert and dinner, were spread along the length of the table; molded into designs of ships, dragons and beasts so strange that the names of which were all but lost in the eyes of their beholders. Venison, beef, pork, pheasant, peacock, turkey, and mutton also lay spread before them. And the wine; cases made of cut glass were filled with dark and light liquors both.

The silverware and the dinnerware were stunning in and of themselves, goblets, glasses, tumblers, all made of gold, silver, or glass, all so carefully wrought and designed that they could only have been made by a skilled smith. Forks, knives, and spoons, also, were of the fine metals. It would have made the wealthiest of men cry to see such beauty. But this party was not so easily brought to tears, nor was it quick to lay into the sumptuous feast before their eyes. Caspian glanced at Edmund as they each walked one side of the table. Without a word, Edmund drew his blade, his cautious guard rising. Better for a man to be prepared than to die without warning, caught staring at a dinner he could surely not eat.

They all were standing on the flagged stones when Edmund shone his light towards the end of the table. When everyone, already alert because of the strangeness of this place, set their eyes on the last chairs, they jumped like startled deer, each and every one of them pulling swords, daggers or dirks and pointing them at the table's end. Susan, standing near Serene at the back of the group, looked over shoulders and past heads to see what had set off her friends and family so. She, too, nearly jumped at the sight before her eyes.

The last chairs were not empty.

They were not alone.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

At first, everyone wondered what sort of creatures they were, so wrapped up in hair and thorny, dead vines. Edmund and Caspian walked forward slowly, glancing at one another, unsure if they were being foolhardy or wise to approach the silent beings. As everyone moved a bit closer, they could slowly see that the strange creatures were, in fact, human beings. But time and age had added the frightening appearance to them. Their hair and beards grew long and weaved among the objects on their end of the table, along with the vines and thorns that twined around them.

Edmund shone the light on the one nearest Caspian, knowing that if they were the Lords, he would know. Nodding a fraction in thanks, Caspian leaned over the table a bit, still cautious in case some sort of enchantment lay over the men. The hand of the first man was laying on the table, long, untended nails and thin, tapered fingers looking ghoulish in the light from the torch.

"Lord Revilian," he declared with a sigh, pitying their fate but at the same time relieved to have found the last missing Lords. He looked towards the next unkempt man. "Lord Mavramorn," he paused, looking away when Drinian carefully sheathed his blade. The excuse was small but enough reason to allow him to compose himself and to not have to stare that the ghastly sight of the three men. Lucy brought him back when she pushed the hair and vines out of the man's face on Edmund's side. "Lord Argoz," he informed her.

Everyone stared at the men, but Lucy jumped back with a light cry of surprise. Edmund whirled, wondering what had startled his sister. Caspian leaned over the table, staring intently at the other men with something of morbid fascination on his face. "He's breathing." He glanced at the other men, his mind lost in thought as he tried to comprehend what could have possibly done this to the Lords.

"So are they," Edmund remarked, shining the light on the two other men sitting at the table. "They're under a spell," he declared momentarily, the answer coming to him faster than the others, he having seen several spells in his life, many his own, but the most dangerous Jadis's.

Caspian stared at Edmund and Lucy; the queen glanced at the table, and not seconds after, Edmund's eyes followed before returning to meet Caspian's gaze. They said nothing, but what they were thinking was clear in their eyes and on their faces. "It's the food!" He shouted, turning to his men when he heard the sounds of dining ware being touched. The sailors recoiled from the table, dropping a few fruits from their hands, paling in fright.

"There's too much magic about here; I say we turn back and out oars for Narnia," one sailor whispered uneasily to another man beside him who was trying to control his own nerves.

"It could be a trap, and we've fallen into it; make no mistake," Cruickshanks the dwarf muttered, running his hand down one of the braids in his great red beard.

"Quiet; let Their Majesties think," Drinian ordered, before he himself turned and walked down to join the monarchs at the far end of the table as they deliberated.

"Well, we can't eat the food," Edmund remarked, staring at the table spread.

"Even if we could, I wouldn't touch it to save my life now," Drinian declared, coming to stand beside Caspian.

"There is powerful magic here," Serene agreed, looking about.

"We should all just go back to the ship." The whisper was picked out of the many fearful hushed voices of the sailors.

"Yes, back to ship, back to ship." The murmurs of the worried sailors were eerie in the darkness, and made Eustace glance behind him every so often out of fear.

"Well, I think that on the matter of crew and company, they should indeed return to ship," Reep spoke up, darting toward them from among the feast on the table until he was standing in the midst of the Sleepers. "But I will stay here to see what comes with morning light or the witching hour of midnight. It shouldn't be that I return to Narnia knowing I did not unravel a mystery such as this." The Mouse's words were brave, and made Edmund and Caspian smile a bit.

"Why on earth would you do that?" Eustace exclaimed, staring incredulously at Reep.

"Because this seems that it might be a very great adventure, and I will not know of myself to abandon it because of silly fears. If I trust in Aslan, I shouldn't fear a single, solitary thing!" The Mouse declared, pulling his small blade and brandishing it high. Caspian had to grin at the Mouse's enthusiasm; he was correct; if Aslan wanted them to come here, why should they suddenly allow their fears to prevail? Slowly the others nodded in agreement, but before they could continue on the subject, the sailors began shouting and pulling their weapons, the hands of some unsteady as they wielded their blades.

"In the name of Tash, what is that?"

"Get back, everyone get back!" a faun cried, pushing some of his fellow sailors towards the edges of the hall, away from the table.

"What's wrong?" Edmund's gaze traveled quickly over the huddled group of sailors standing in the shadows.

"Look!" Susan noticed it seconds after the sailors and pointed upwards at the rapidly falling blue sphere. As they had talked, the strange constellations overhead had grown brighter, and a single star had begun falling toward them; the sailors had only noticed it when they realized it was the same blue star that had led them here. Everyone watched it in startled awe, knowing they should move but wanting to see what would come of the strange happening.

Instead of hitting the ground and causing an explosion, it slowly stopped. When the first tendril of blue light that emanated from it touched the flagstone of the hall floor, it slowly grew and took shape in nearly unbearable blue-white light. Everyone was forced to close their eyes and look away when the vibrant flash of light flooded the open space; when next they looked, a young woman stood in the sphere's place. Both sailors and monarchs lowered their weapons, feeling that, as strange as this was, she must be someone of importance.

Her long wavy hair was pale gold, and her eyes were crystal blue, not unlike Arran's or his brothers'. Her clothes, which reminded Eustace of the Greek styles he'd seen in a few history books, were pale silver-blue and white; the garment was sleeveless, leaving her arms bare, so you could see the bracelets and armbands of intricately designed silver she wore. She bore the unmistakable ethereal beauty of the immortal Stars. The blue light that emanated from her never seemed to dim or pulse; it was consistent and calming, as was the smile that spread across her face when she gazed at all of them in turn.

"Travelers of Narnia, who have come far to find Aslan's Table, are you not hungry? Do you not drink because it is that you are not thirsty?" She asked, her voice soft but seeming to echo into fathomless whispers. For a moment she seemed genuinely concerned, as if the fact that they, being mortals, were not eager to partake of the bounty before them was disappointing.

"It is not that we do not hunger or thirst, _Alaara_, but that we fear the food before us to be enchanted; it is too marvelous to be without some sort of magic." Arran quickly spoke for his friends, knowing it might take them more than mere seconds to break away from the surely entrancing, immortal beauty of the Star.

"You. I know you are no mortal man; for you call me 'lady' in the tongue of those that dance in the heavens." The girl stared at him with a searching gaze.

"I am not a mortal man; neither are my brothers. We are half-Stars, voyaging with our friends so that they will not be always at the mercies of the cruelty of this magic ocean and the wild lands of the End of the World," Arran agreed.

"It is good that they may rest safe, knowing you three shall keep watch over the darkness," the Star admitted. Arran nodded, ending the topic of discussion.

"This table is not enchanted, Travelers. This food is to be for you; there is enough for all who are sent or come in Aslan's name to his Table. Please, eat," she coaxed, raising her hand toward the table in a beseeching manner. As she did, some magic, perhaps hers or perhaps it belonged to the hall, lit the candles up and down the table, startling the less brave souls that decided to come back into the hall.

"Wait!" Edmund's voice stopped everyone again from moving closer. "If there is nothing the matter with this food, then what happened to them? What are you, for I look at you and should wish to believe everything you say, but there was a Witch I once knew who could evoke the same sentiment – how can we trust you or know you're a friend?"

The silence that hung over the Stars and the company was long. "I'm afraid you cannot know," said the girl. "You can only believe – or not." The smile that followed, however sweet and gentle, was not comforting after such words, and for a moment everyone looked at each other, wondering what they should do next.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Sire," Reep's voice could be heard, but the Mouse was not seen until he had jumped upon the table, standing in the midst of the feast. "Sire," he began again, motioning to Caspian, "of your courtesy, please fill this goblet I hold with wine – for I've not the strength to lift the flagon that contains it – so I may drink to the lady."

Caspian shook his head slightly; but did as Reepicheep asked. Once this had been done, the Mouse raised the golden glass between his paws and turned to the Star. "Dear Lady, might I know your name?" he asked with a whiskered, mousy smile

"Of course, I am Liliandil. Daughter of Ramandu." She smiled back.

"Very well then," Reep raised the small glass as he spoke. "To the fair Liliandil, daughter of Ramandu, our faithful guide appointed by Aslan." He swallowed all the cup contained and then moved down to a chair and began eating a small portion of peacock and fruit fit for any Mouse leader. Not long after, when the sailors began to see that nothing happened to the Mouse, they, too, came forward and began serving themselves and eating.

"Please, what has happened to them that cause them to sleep?" Lucy asked, gesturing at the Telmarine Lords. She and her siblings and friends were not yet eating, since excitement and the mystery of the place had kept them from feeling especially hungry.

"Many years ago, they arrived on these shores. Their vessel was fit to be no more than driftwood, but once it was very fine. They found the table, and, before eating a single thing, began talking. The talking turned to words said in anger, and they began arguing that they should not stop here but should go on. One turned away. In his blind rage he reached for the Stone Knife, intending to kill his comrades. Violence is forbidden at Aslan's Table, and so they were sent to sleep. And sleeping they shall remain until the enchantment is broken," Liliandil explained.

"Stone Knife?" Susan asked, repeating the words slowly. They were hauntingly familiar.

"The Knife of Stone, don't you remember?" the Star asked softly.

"I-I think I do, at least, something about it I can recall," Lucy admitted, frowning as she tried to remember.

"It is the same knife that the White Witch used to slay Aslan upon the Stone Table long ago," Liliandil clarified. "It was brought here to be kept in honor while the world lasts."

At her words, Edmund looked away, head bowed. The pain he felt upon hearing those words was still sharp, and he felt as if some old wound had been reopened and ached twofold, just when he thought it had begun to heal. Serene came to his side, resting her hand comfortingly on his arm. "It is not something you should still feel anguish for; what's done is done, as a wise one once said." She smiled up at him.

"Why is this called Aslan's Table?" Caspian asked, lifting his gaze from the object in question to meet the Star's blue eyes.

"It was set here by his bidding, at least this is what I was told," said Liliandil, "for those who sail this far. Many of my people, and many others still, call this island the last haven, or the gateway to the World's End, for though you can sail further, this is the beginning of the end."

"But, um, how does the food _keep_?" Eustace asked practically as he ate some turkey and drank a bit of sweet wine.

Liliandil smiled benevolently at the blonde boy. "It is eaten and renewed every day; this you will see."

"My Lady," Caspian still was slightly uncomfortable with addressing her by name, "We were told that we must lay seven swords at this table, and put an end to the green mist that plagues the ocean, threatening to overtake all light. How also could we release these men from their enchantment?" he asked.

Her face grew grave at his words, and the light that glowed around her seemed to shine ominously for but a moment, as if something angered her. "My father will shed light on this dark path you must follow," she replied softly, turning and motioning into the darkness towards what seemed to be a wall of earth, rocks, roots and grass at one end of the long hall.

While they had been talking, the stars and the moon had grown fainter, revealing the grey lightening of the sky in the east. As the sun's rays, weak at first, began pulling it up from the waves, they could finally see the door in the hillside.

"Look, he comes now," Liliandil said in answer to the cries and shouts of curious exclamation.

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**A/N:**

**Well, hello! I haven't been able to UD on Tuesday because the website kept bringing up a 503, I just can't stand those… Anywhoo, I'm back now! (Perhaps my internet will be fixed and we can get back to our normally scheduled program!) You know, this story is so close to being over, it's, just, Wow! I feel so excited and nervous at the same time, I'm going to be starting the third book in this series! Ok, ok, I'm going to calm down and get down to business.**

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**Word meanings for the Star language: **

**Alaara: Lady, my lady, ladies, etc. Plural form depends on the situation. Usually the plural is 'Alaaral' **

**Sarav: Ocean, nightfall, twilight. **

**Vesi: silver, light, stars. **

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**Jesus girl 4ever was my Beta (as usual) and she fixed all the errors in this chapter (I wrote this one in a whirl, not sure if it's good even now, but there were quite a few silly mistakes that she kindly pointed out to me for me to fix). So, as usual, rounds of applause all around for her!**

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**So, this chapter did _not_ type up like I planned (for some reason Caspian, Susan, and Liliandil refused to cooperate and do _what I_ _wanted._ Well, I guess that's the way it is sometimes), but I'm okay with that now. It's still not bad, all things aside. I mean, I don't think it was the best it could be on all fronts, I have written better, but it's gonna have to work; I'm simply dying to get started on the third book! (I've got some ideas written down but nothing on Microsoft Word, _yet_.) **

**So, the ruins and the dragon thing… well, I got a bit, um… what's the word?… wistful? No, but it'll do for now… Anyway, I was sort of wandering, just letting my imagination go off thinking of how I pictured the ruins in my head when I had read the book and all... So what you've just read is what I saw (in my head, I mean).**

**Arran and Zephyr get on each other's nerves, apparently; quite frankly they're getting on mine, too. Sometimes they act extremely childish for their age. But I can handle it, can't I, _guys?_ **glances at them over shoulder** At least until the end of this book, then I won't have to deal with their shenanigans anymore. I'll have a whole _new_ set to deal with... (please note my sarcasm)**

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**Small Author's Secret: I'm thinking of doing something with my Star history in the future, something to connect all these bits and pieces that I touch lightly in this Cycle. Perhaps someday, perhaps never, this chronicle will come together. Depends greatly on the insistence from you readers. **

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**So, umm... I loved the Liliandil moments of this chapter the best, mainly because, of, well, reasons. Frankly, (give me some slack for what I'm about to write, it's 1:57 a.m. and I've drunk - snitched, as she insists - my sis's coffee) I love working with female Stars, they're a lot less insistent (pushy) and stubborn, mulish, block-headed, annoying, aggravating, etc, you get the idea. Besides that, I think that Liliandil (Ramandu's daughter for the purists) never gets enough face time, both in the books and in the film.**

**That's about it, anymore questions, please ask and I shall be sure to answer as best I can! **

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**ILoveFanfiction:**

**I'm glad you're well! Always so nice to hear... good health and good days; the two most wonderful things to hear of from a faraway friend.**

**I'm so happy you think the chapter is good! I love it when you say that, it's really up-building to know that someone thinks my derelict junk that I create from my wild (possibly disturbed, since I've read _sooo_ much) imagination as something worth time to read! **

**I know, I know, the Withermere thing was patchy, and not my greatest. I realized that that was flimsy, but I was being lazy and didn't want to go fix it. Withermere (you know by now): Arran's father, a full Star. **

**I'm going to try to put in more Lucy/Gavan before the end of this book, though that's looking to be tough (for a bit). Yes, you'll just have to see what happens with Lucy/Gavan, but, actually, it's no. I'll leave it at that, (Who knows what I'm saying 'no' about?) lol. **

**I know, I feel really cruel about my choice for Edmund and Peter, but, well, that's the way this went in my head; once I took that path there was no coming back, I'm afraid. But everything will work out. Pity everything isn't always roses and sunshine. Don't know where I heard that phrase from, but I like it...**

**I can't believe how close we are, either! I mean, it seems like only yesterday I started this story! You know? **

**I wish they had cut the whole scene, because that was so odd, sticking that little bit right there. Oh, Ed's line:**

"Maybe this is all part of the test! Remember what Coriakin said, _'seek the blue star, stay true to it's course; never yield, and never falter.'_ They (the Lords) were tempted- and they faltered."

**I think it should have been whole scene or nothing; not some little bit of something that is meaningless to the whole of the film.**

**Now, thank you for your wonderful encouragements, they keep me going! Here's something else for you to read; I also thank you for putting up with me and my insanity, WH **

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**Thank you for reading and reviewing,**

**W.H.1492**


	32. The Light Is Going Out

**Chapter Thirty-Two: The Light Is Going Out**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Slowly, the door opened, and the figure of a man emerged from the interior of the earthen entrance. The figure was tall, but not as straight and slender as the girl's. He carried no light, for it seemed to come from him, hovering around him in aura-like fashion, as Lucy had seen with Arran, Gavan, Zephyr – Coriakin, too, for an instant – and now Liliandil. It was not as bright, though, and something about the soft silvery light felt old, wise, and quiet, but dignified. The old man, for that was what he seemed, came closer, and as he did, they could discern his appearance better.

His hair was silver; his silver beard fell to his bare feet and his straight silver hair tumbled down his back to brush the hem of his silvery-white robes as he walked. The robes he wore were simple but fine, made from sheep's fleece, it seemed, though Lucy and a few others guessed it was some other material that only _looked_ like fleece. He walked slowly and deliberately, not shuffled and unsure in his step like the many elderly people Eustace had seen occasionally. When he reached them, he said nothing, merely stared at them each in turn, before moving, with his back to the travelers, to face the paling eastern sky with arms outstretched. Liliandil followed suit, and in that pose, both began to sing.

Edmund, Eustace and Lucy, later talked at length about the song sung in the high language of the Stars. It had been beautiful, perhaps a bit shrill, Eustace conceded, but just what he had thought it might sound like when he'd been a dragon, and had heard Arran laugh. Edmund admitted he had thought it rather cold and lonely in its beauty; a morning kind of song; but the others always countered his remark by saying that Stars were an unusual, mysterious race, and many things about them were cold and indifferent, though beautiful, always beautiful.

As they sang, something began happening in the east. The sky lightened, the grey clouds dissipated and became white, and the frail yellow rays of the sun struggling to rise above the ocean's watery bed grew stronger and golden, fuller and brighter, as if something in the song gave the large sphere new resolve to rise into the sky. The east went from grey-white to red and gold, and the rays struck the clouds, turning them purple, red, orange, and gold. As the company from the _Treader_ watched, a beam of light found its way from the ocean's surface of silver, and its long, level ray shot down the length of the table on the gold and on the silver, before finally alighting upon the Stone Knife.

As they had been sailing into the east, closer to Ramandu's Island, the sailors and the monarchs had, from time to time, speculated if the sun was growing larger and brighter as they drew on towards the End of the World. This time there was no mistaking the brightness and greatness of the sun. The rays were strong, and the sunrise was the most powerful they had seen. Edmund wrote about it later, mentioning in passing how there were many things on the voyage that sounded more exciting than this one, but how that moment was more important and exciting than all the others combined, because it meant they truly were nearing the End of the World, one step closer to Aslan's Country.

As everyone watched the Stars and tried to watch the rising of the sun without becoming blinded, they noticed something. Something seemed to be flying from the very center of the rising sun, but since none of them could look steadily in that direction, they couldn't make positive this speculation. All at once the air became full of voices, wild, jubilant voices that took up the same song as Liliandil and her father but in a far wilder tone and in a language no one could understand, not even Arran, Gavan and Zephyr.

In minutes or hours - no one kept track of the time - the owners of these voices could be distinguished as they began alighting on the island. They were birds; birds so large and white that everything they covered soon blurred and blunted and looked more like a snowy landscape in a painting than a hall, a table, and ruins. Lucy laughingly allowed two of the gentle creatures to alight on her head and shoulders. When she managed to look between their fluttering wings and bobbing heads, she caught a glimpse of a single bird, much larger than the rest, with a few golden feathers in its wings and down, hovering in the air before the old man and setting some bright little coal or berry upon his lips.

She did not have long to dwell on this, for all at once, the birds stopped their singing, and it was very quiet around the Stars and the Narnian company. The only thing that could be heard was the soft clatter of dishes and the whoosh of wings as the birds descended upon Aslan's Table. When next the company could set eyes on it, after the birds once again rose in the air, it had been picked clean. The Narnians soon realized that anything that could not be eaten or drunk had been carried away in the birds' talons. They watched the great white birds take flight and return silently to lands beyond the sun. When the Narnians turned to the table, it was clean and empty; not even a candelabrum could be seen.

"Welcome, ones who have traveled far; I trust your journey has been no easy task, yet here you stand. I commend you that though you have faced temptation, you stood against it. Perhaps all that follows will not be so challenging a task as I forethought it to be." The old man dressed in silver turned and spoke to them, his voice wise with the knowledge of ages.

"You were one who has the gift to foretell the future, _Alaaron_?" Gavan asked, coming forward; he had not missed the old one's words. When the Stars had begun singing, he and his brothers had appeared deeply moved, like people who listen to Bach or Mozart sometimes are; for a moment, they were as awestruck as their mortal companions, a rare feat.

"I know many things, some present, and some yet to be," the old man admitted vaguely. "But you three, you are unusual. How strange that Stars–" he broke off and stared hard at them for several seconds. "You are sons of Light and sons of Eve? Few of your kind I have met, and the few I have, have fallen prey to the faults of mortal men. You have taken a great risk in what you do for this company. But, perhaps your will find what you are truly meant to be," the old man reasoned, though his words were rather callous.

"Sir, we have been instructed by Aslan to lay seven blades at Aslan's Table; we must defeat a great evil, which takes the form of a green mist. What must we do?" Caspian raised his voice, walking toward the old man. They had taken the three weapons from the sleeping Lords; Eustace, Rynelf and Rhince held them now.

The old man stared hard at the company, his gaze searching. "You are missing the seventh blade." He did not ask a question, because he knew. Caspian nodded.

"Do you know where it is, where it can be found?" Caspian asked.

"Yes," was the reply. "Follow me." The old man turned. Pausing, he held out his arm for Liliandil, who took it and walked beside him into the ruins, their light shining on the overgrown, ancient path. Caspian glanced at Edmund before following after the two strange beings. They needed answers, and he was willing to go any length to get them, even trusting those he did not know. Behind him, Lucy, Edmund, Serene, the Stars, and Susan came as well.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"The item you seek, which will once again restore all the ocean, lies within Dark Island, the island of many names, a land of a thousand darkness's, of ten thousand deaths. A more deadly place I have not encountered in all my years, save for the battle betwixt immortals. It is the last place I would think to send a noble company such as yours. But go you must; what is to come of you, I, even I, cannot see." As Ramandu spoke he raised his arm and pointed into the distance. Not many leagues from the island they stood on lay a great gap of black in the brightening horizon, as if a stain of ink had fallen over a section of a beautiful painting. Even from that distance they could all see the green mist rising from the island eerily.

"I could not have fathomed it," Zephyr whispered, taking in the scene before him. No one could take it in; it was not what they had expected. Even from this distance it looked like a nightmare.

"What a great evil it must be to have purged the purity and light from the land it inhabits," Serene remarked, coming forward to better look at the strange land lying further east.

"Aye. I knew Nithalazaar; it is painful to know that he has let such darkness devour him whole. His confusion consumed him, took advantage of his weaknesses, and overpowered him. Were his parents here, they should fall to pleas of mercy and tears to repent. I thank the Great Lion he is not yet strong enough to release his vindictive spirit unto Lumea. But if he obtains these swords – obtains your souls – he just might." Ramandu turned to Caspian.

"These swords, we must lay them at the table, come!" With a flash of his robes, the old man returned to the path that led to the hall.

Everyone followed him quickly. He walked past the sailors, who parted like vines in the wind to give him passage to the far end of the table. With quick fingers, he pulled the vines and hair away from the center of the table that they covered, revealing a sharp, ancient, cruel-looking knife of stone, which made Lucy shiver to behold. When the old man's fingers brushed it, he blanched but continued clearing the vines; Caspian and Edmund moved to help him pull the remainder from the surface.

"Lay the blades down, touching the points to the knife, quickly now!" Ramandu ordered, pointing sharply, the cuff of his robe swaying with the force of his gesture. Caspian laid a sword down, Rezef's. Its gems flashed a brilliant gold for an instant, and then the whole sword, from blade to hilt, turned vibrant blue. Edmund thrust Gwyrdd next to it, motioning for Eustace to bring him another; Caspian did the same. When all the swords had been laid in a circle, the light was nearly as bright a blue as Liliandil's glow.

Edmund cast a glance at Caspian, who looked down at Rhindon sheathed at his side. Slowly, he removed it, but the blade, which had glowed a light blue next to Gwyrdd in Narrowhaven, and when next to the other blades, was dark. Both frowned, confused. Ramandu noticed their interaction and took a step in Caspian's direction. "What are you looking at?" he asked, his tone grave with the situation but characteristically uncurious. He didn't have time for Men's games.

"Nothing, sir," Caspian replied, sheathing the blade with a snap of metal on metal and meeting his stare briefly before looking away, his gaze passing over Edmund's. He was just as confused at the phenomenon.

"Hmm," Ramandu answered in reply, momentarily studying them while running his fingers over his silver beard. He then turned and began walking away, as if he was no longer going to trouble over the mortals from Narnia who were to try and vanquish the darkness that was growing on the east-lying island.

"Sir, how do we break the enchantment upon these men? I don't know if they would thank me for doing such, but it must be done, for Aslan gave me leave to discover their fate and recover them, if I could. Can I not still try to save them?" Caspian asked, watching the old man walk away.

"That task is more difficult than defeating the mist, King of Narnia. Are you so quick to pledge yourself to undo what lies as fair justice for the villainous behavior these brutes thought to do one another? They may be your fellow man, but they are not mine, and I have seen what men like they can do with hate such as I saw in their hands." Ramandu's words were spoken with the indifference that was frequent of his race. Men he would help, advise, even but had utterly no loyalty to.

"I remember them from when I was a boy and know that they are not as evil as you think; perhaps time and consideration for them as men instead of as objects would return them to a more even state of mind," Caspian replied firmly.

"Spoken like a true Telmarine but also a righteous king. Very well then, I shall tell you: to break the enchantment lying over these men, you must find the seventh sword and lay it among the others; then, you must sail to the end of the world and one of your party must venture on into the utter east, never to return. Friendships will be sacrificed, tested, and brought to an end," Ramandu declared solemnly.

"Do you know how to get to the end of the world; do you know of any other dangers we might encounter to get there?" Caspian ignored the insult to his heritage, ignored the praise, and ignored the warnings, hoping there was something more the old man might be able to tell them.

"I saw everything that lay to the east; I saw what was and what would be. But that was thousands of years ago, and time has changed what I once knew. You shall have to discover what lies ahead for yourself; I cannot aid you."

"What do you mean you saw everything; were you flying?" Eustace blurted out, forgetting that the man was a Star and disinclined to answer any questions he didn't like asked. But Eustace hadn't been able to quite grasp the understanding of Stars and hoped that this would be his chance to become enlightened.

"I was a long way above the air, son of Adam," the old man replied, a hint of a smile appearing through his beard. "I am Ramandu of the eastern sky. But you stare at one another in confusion, and even you, sons of Light and Eve, do not know my name. I do not wonder at it, for the days I was a star have ceased long before any of you knew this world, and all the constellations have changed."

"So, he's a _retired_ Star," Edmund mused under his breath, staring with renewed interest at the old man before him.

"Aren't you a Star any longer?" Lucy asked, her voice softening with just a hint of pity. Gavan, standing a ways off with his brothers, could not help smiling at her sympathy for someone she had only just met.

"I am a Star at rest, my Queen," Ramandu answered with dignity, bending at the waist slightly in semblance of a bow. When his eyes swept over the party, they met Edmund's for but a moment. _"__**Not**__ 'retired,' Just King, but at __**rest**__." _Edmund started when the voice entered his head but relaxed when Ramandu's steady gaze lifted.

"In our world – my cousin's and mine –" Eustace motioned to the Pevensies, "a star is just a huge flaming ball of gas." He hadn't mentioned this to Arran, because he thought it might offend him or set his erratic temper on edge. Now, he felt like he might get it off his chest without anyone becoming angry.

"Even in your world, my son, that is not what stars _are,_ but only what they are made of. And if my memory serves me aright, you have already met a Star in this world. Coriakin, the Magician." Ramandu looked at them with a bit of curiosity.

"Truly?" Lucy asked eagerly. She remembered thinking he had looked a great deal like Gavan and his brothers.

"Did he not talk with the half-bloods; did they not radiate light as proper Stars should?" Ramandu asked, turning to the three young men who stood off a ways, watching. Arran straightened, his temper flaring at the old Star's words.

"We're just as proper as _you_," he hissed angrily, coming forward. "We may not have as pure a silver bloodline as others, but we are not imperfections!" As he walked closer to Ramandu, the same red aura Lucy had seen in Coriakin's library became evident around his form like a dusky haze.

"And yet only we can bring out your light when you have been long from the sky," Ramandu murmured with what sounded like a mocking sympathetic tone of voice, though his composure remained neutral. Arran stopped, looking away. Still the truth hurt after all these years. Zephyr closed his eyes; the sigh he uttered was barely audible. Always, _always_ it seemed they would face hate from the most ancient of their people. With mortals they had no place, but with the immortal, the same could be said.

"So susceptible to the emotions of your mortal half, how embarrassing that must be for you; you can never be indifferent." Now the Star was just being cruel, and the others who had thought the hate between half-Stars, like Arran and his siblings, and full Stars, such as Ramandu, could not be so terrible, knew it nearly bordered on war.

"At least _our_ kind never tried to become greater than Aslan as Coriakin and others of his ilk did!" Arran replied to the snide remark, earning a deep frown from Ramandu for his words.

"Be silent, young Star! I have lived more years than you can fathom and know more of magic and its power than you could contemplate, do not cross me I was with the Great One when those foolish enough to think they could be stronger than Aslan waged their war! I was there when our race was driven from the lands of the sun and the breach between Aslan's Country and our night sky was made; don't think I don't know what agony they caused us who were faithful to the Great One to endure!" Ramandu thundered, moving rapidly toward Arran, the silver light emanating from his form growing brighter, like the light Lucy had seen flash around Coriakin for an instant.

"Forgive me, _Alaaron_, but neither do I relish being crossed. When one of my people insults me, I will defend my heritage, just as you defend your place in the war between immortals," Arran said contritely, though his anger was far from abated.

"Yes… As is right. I, too, owe apology; I allowed my prejudice to precede me; forgive me also," Ramandu admitted after a long pause of silence.

"Certainly, _Alaaron_," Arran answered, though he stared at Ramandu with caution from that moment on.

The Star composed himself and turned back to the party. But now there were more questions from the Pevensies.

"What did Coriakin do?" Lucy asked, the words said in anger by Arran appalling her.

"Why did the Stars think they could be greater than Aslan?" Edmund asked, frowning. Caspian tried to remain unconcerned, but the shock and bewilderment in his eyes betrayed him. Susan stared at Ramandu and Arran with something close to horror on her face while Serene chocked back a sound of surprise; this tale she had not heard.

"It is not for mortal Men, sons of Adam and daughters of Eve, to know what faults a Star can commit. But know that Coriakin is not who he was; Aslan knows his sins and knows his change of heart; you need not fear him. Now, are you resolved? Will you defeat the mist, find the final sword, sail further east and leave one of your company behind to return no more, and so break this enchantment? Or will you, like any mortal, turn back westward and let this darkness fester and grow?" Ramandu watched them expectantly.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

While the others deliberated upon what Ramandu had put before them, Liliandil came around to the three half-Stars. "Forgive my father, but the only half-bloods he has ever known have been betrayers and bearers of deceit. I am sorry you made it thus far only to be ridiculed by an Elder of our people," she said in sympathy.

"You mean Nithalazaar has made bitter the taste of our kind to his mind," Arran replied sarcastically.

"No! You must give him time. He was suspicious of you, but you gained small favor in his eyes by standing up for yourself and then asking forgiveness while still remaining strong." Liliandil tried to pacify the angry pirate, but Arran had been hurt. His father had always told him and Durken – later the others – that they would be hated by some of their people for the darkness of mortal red in their blood, but he had tried to deny it until this moment.

"Do you honestly expect that to pacify me? I have never been taken for a fool or a simpleton, _Alaara_, and I will not be tempered by soft words now! Your father, as great a _vornla_ as he is, has insulted me, my family, and my father. I cannot stand back and accept peace where none exists. He only cooled his anger because he does not think mortals should know that Stars, however beautiful and immortal, also have their vices and flaws." Arran turned away from her and walked toward where Caspian was talking with the Pevensies, Serene, Drinian and Eustace.

"Please, I know that my brother will not take back his words and that he is angry, but I offer apology. And I shall accept yours; I always knew we would have days of opposition like this from others who believe half-bloods are corrupt to the night sky and are thought imperfect," Zephyr spoke up, nodding and smiling at Liliandil.

"I think that perhaps Aslan allowed those of Light and those of Adam and Eve to dance in the night sky because he wishes _saranla_ and _vornla_ learn your kindness and consideration. Too long have we remained indifferent to those below us, treading our paths in the constellations and setting into the east when our dance is ended; we have forgotten compassion and care. To return that to us would be a great accomplishment indeed," Liliandil replied, mirroring his smile.

"I don't know if we could do that. Too often our mortal feelings conflict with our immortal; most of my family is a perfect example of that. Arran does not know if he wants to be Star or human; he wants of two worlds and refuses to choose. My youngest brother loves a mortal, but I fear that the only thing he loves is the call of her magic. And I feel lost; I do not know my place in the design of all things; I do not know what Aslan wants of me. So I came on this voyage to perhaps find a fraction of my true worth," Zephyr admitted, sighing.

"Perhaps that is your worth. I serve as guide to those with honest hearts; otherwise, I have naught a power like many of our kin. Of course, I am able to use magic, but I am not like my father, who can foretell the future, nor like your brothers who can grant thoughts and wishes, even if only in a dreamlike state. Your gift is valuable, for you can never be lost. For the first time, I have met someone who does not need my guidance. It is a good thing, Zephyr," Liliandil lightly rested her hand on his arm in reassurance before turning to the table and those standing around it.

Zephyr watched her a moment before straightening and joining his friends. Perhaps she was right; he did not need guidance from his kin like others did; he could do things they could not, and perhaps that was his purpose, to help others who needed him. His brothers might not be destined to help the Stars, but he just might. And that made the lost, wandering feeling ache a little less.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Caspian looked each one of them in turn, waiting for their answer to the question Ramandu had put to them. "What will we do, go east or return to Narnia?" he asked, trying to keep his voice indifferent and calm, though he felt like getting the answers from them as fast as possible.

"I think we should go; we came to defeat the mist anyway, and we've come this far; to turn back would be less than honorable, which is what Reep was going to say," Edmund declared, grinning for an instant at the mouse standing near their feet.

"Yes, that _is_ what I would have said; there's no honor in turning tail when you've been sent by Aslan!" the Mouse added fervently.

"I think we should go, to break the enchantment and also to free those poor people we watched become sacrifices in Narrowhaven," Lucy agreed.

"You promised Rhince you'd help him find his wife, and we've come so far that I think it's too late to go back, Caspian," Susan said, resting her hand on his arm.

"We've seen monopods, you've been taken as slaves, and broken a few enchantments already, I don't think turning back now, after all that, would be very wise," Drinian concurred with a comradely smile at his friend.

"But what of the one we must send to the Far East who will never be allowed to return? It cannot be I, for I have already passed from this world. Who will go, while the others remain behind?" Serene put to them the question they had not wanted to think about. Now, they had no choice but to speculate.

They were quiet after she had spoken, until Reepicheep raised his voice. "It is, and has always been, my heart's most fervent desire to sail east. I will go; I am old, I have lived many wonderful years here on Lumea and Narnia, and I am ready to depart from this world." He stared up at them with earnest brown eyes.

"But, Reepicheep, y–you _can't_, you just can't!" Lucy's voice rose. She did not like to think of the brave Mouse who had helped her, her siblings, and Caspian fight for Narnia's freedom as being old or ready to pass from Narnia.

"Queen Lucy, you are never more certain of something after you have lived a life such as mine. Or, as the great poets and bards sing: you are never more alive as when you are about to die. Whether or not I go to the End of the World, I will die someday; why not now, when I can give my life for something instead of at home in my bed?" Reepicheep smiled, his white whiskers twitching.

"You're sure?" she asked softly, looking down at him, wondering when he had gotten those grey streaks in his brown fur and when his whiskers had turned so white.

"Quite. I have dreamed and pondered upon this my whole life, and now it finally is within my paws to have and understand. I am ready. Caspian, I'll be the one to go to the Far East and never again return," the Mouse stated, turning from Lucy to look up at Caspian.

"Then go you may, and I thank you for all your aid." Caspian straightened, smiling at the Mouse.

"Well, I told you I would not fight an unarmed man, but I think letting you live was not a mistake," Reepicheep replied with a knowing wink before darting off.

"Ramandu, we have an answer to your questions," Caspian said, raising his voice as he turned back to the Star, trying to sound certain of himself and the decisions they had arrived at.

"Well, speak then, tell me what you have decided," Ramandu answered, waiting.

"We will defeat the mist, recover the seventh sword, break the enchantment, and then we shall sail to the east and leave one of our party behind. We will not turn westward and leave Narnia and Lumea to a fate that is possibly as dark as that island lying toward the east," Caspian replied slowly.

"Good, you have chosen your fate well. May Aslan always go before you, sons of Adam, daughters of Eve. May you fail not." Ramandu stepped back and to the side, motioning for them to pass him. Everyone, sailors and monarchs both, walked past the Star, eager to return to the _Dawn_ _Treader, _and even though they knew what they were to face, thought that that was better than staying on this island of ruins from ages long since passed.

Ramandu grabbed Arran's arm as the Star moved to pass him. The pirate turned to look at Ramandu with a scowl on his face. "Beware, Arran of Narnia, son of Withermere, the light is going out." The old Star's eyes searched his face intently as he spoke.

Arran pulled away from him. "I detest riddles, especially from my own people. Don't try to anger me so as to have some excuse as to why I cannot be one of you." He began walking away, trying not to let the resting Star's words unsettle him.

_"It is fading far more rapidly than can be comprehended, son of Light."_

Arran jerked to a stop and turned to stare at the old man. _"I will consider your words, then." _Leaving that with Ramandu, he turned and followed after his companions.

Ramandu and his daughter followed the party a ways. Before they continued down the path, the Narnians thanked the two Stars for all the help, small as it was, that had been given them. Zephyr walked up to Liliandil.

"If we return… I… I should like to see you again," he said hesitantly to her. Her eyes widened in surprise, while her father tried to act as though he had not heard the words.

"Then may you succeed, Zephyr _Aliaani_." Liliandil met his eyes and smiled. Zephyr nodded slightly before turning back to his brothers, who said nothing, only allowed barely hints of smiles to cross their faces.

"The journey to Dark Island is farther than it seems for those of noble intent; you must hurry on your way," Ramandu declared momentarily, after farewells had been said and thanks uttered. With parting glances and nearly imperceptible nods, the Narnians left the Stars and returned to their ship. As they sailed away, a bright light came from the island, and the star that was Liliandil ascended into the sky once more; what they could not see was Ramandu watching them from a ruined balcony.

He had never said it to them, but he wished them well, and he wished them victory.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Well, who likes this? I think I wrote it rather well, don't you? I thought this would be quite a bit easier to write, but it wasn't; so many things happen in this chapter, and so many facial expressions and actions happen in the film that it was quite a challenge! I felt so bad leaving some things out and keeping some things in, but looking at the finished product now, I think it's quite good!**

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**As usual, Jesus' girl 4ever was my Beta! I can't tell her thanks enough, so I thank her by publishing a chapter after she helps me, that's about as best I can do! Round of applause for her, and all those other Betas that kindly work on us writer's stories!**

* * *

**Now, some things first...**

**Aliaani is basically an endearment (not quite certain what it means in English yet, but I'm working on it) Originally it was going to mean something like 'friend' (it still does) but it also means 'of light' and so on. You guys could help me with that by offering ideas for a meaning in English! (Yes, I am writing a language for Stars; frankly because I can't find one of ours that sounds musical enough to fit their personality.)**

**Vornla is like saying man, male, you know, basically that. **

**Saranla is woman, female. You get the idea. **

**Alaara is "Lady" plural is 'Alaaral' **

**Alaaron is "Lord" plural is 'Alaaro'**

**I realized that if I'm to go into their culture I must have titles, words, and all that jazz for stuff in that world, or words for stuff in Narnia that they use.**

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**Moving on...**

**This battle or war that Ramandu and Arran refer to is something I'll go into in a separate fanfic later on in time. That fanfic is strictly about Stars, Narnia, and why they can't get from the Narnian sky into Aslan's Country (because I find it odd that things like Stars, so wise and all, couldn't get there on a regular basis, like back and forth). **

**I have to cut this short, but, you know the order of things. Ask questions in reviews and I will answer.**

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**ILoveFanfiction:**

**Yes, totally, I really hope the 4th film is a renaissance of the first! I have added the Stone Knife, are you pleased? I'll go more into it later, but for now, this is it. Well, got to go,**

**Love all your support,**

**WH**


	33. The Darkness of the Fallen

**Chapter Thirty-Three: The Darkness of the Fallen**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Everyone was tense as they sailed toward Dark Island, wondering what they would encounter. No one spoke much to another; no one bothered saying goodbyes or farewells or good fortune. No one wanted to; it would be like they were thinking and resigning themselves to the fact in their minds that they would surely fail, and none of them wanted to think of _that_. So they busied themselves with mindless tasks, checking armor and weapons, bows and swords. Drinian discussed the guidance of the ship with Rynelf, as if he was preparing the second mate just in case something happened to him. In all truths, he was. But it wouldn't help to say that aloud.

Susan took charge of the children, bringing Gael with her to the cabin so that the little girl and Rilian would not be in the way of the men and Narnians or distracting anyone from the coming venture. She passed Lucy while going to the cabin. She gave her sister a confident smile and a reassuring pat on the shoulder, the best she could do given the situation. Susan made no promises nor acted like she could. Lucy's eyes held fear, which Susan had seen few times in either of their lives, and it frightened the older woman, though she made no mention of it.

"What's going on? I'm scared," Gael whimpered as Susan closed the cabin door behind them.

"Shh, darling, it's going to be all right, it will be fine," Susan whispered consolingly to the little girl, pulling her close and stroking her hair in as motherly a fashion as she could. She turned her eyes toward the ceiling; by Aslan she prayed that everything _would_ be fine.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Edmund cursed inwardly when he realized his hands were shaking too much for him to buckle the armor over his shirt. He stared down at his hands, wondering why, all of the sudden, he was so nervous. He'd been in dozens of wars and battles; this shouldn't be any worse. The stakes were no greater than the Winter Revolution or the War of Deliverance. He was fighting for Narnia, not his sister's honor or Peter's life; he wasn't trying to defend anyone but Narnia; that fact in itself should be consoling to him; he'd always jumped at any chance he could to defend his country.

"Here, sometimes we could all do with some help," Caspian said with a wavering smile, which vanished as soon as Edmund looked at his face. He reached out and finished the last several buckles for Edmund before doing the same with his own.

"Thanks," Edmund answered, getting Caspian's attention, making him pause.

"I understand being afraid; I am now," he replied, looking down at one of his hands, which was shaking almost as much as Edmund's. With a quick inhale, he closed his fingers over his palm into a fist. "I've been scared often in my life, though I never really dwelt on it much until now. I've never thought of dying, _truly_ _dying_, until now, either. War and fighting always seemed to come at me, and I fought it in a haze, not really thinking. Now I've had so much time to think that I've thought of every single way this could fail – or succeed." Caspian turned away.

"I've done the same, but I didn't realize that was why I was feeling this way; it explains a lot." Edmund smiled through the tension.

"Yes," Caspian smiled once again in return, but it failed to reach his eyes. He turned away, fiddling with something of miniscule importance. "Edmund," Caspian turned back to him.

"What?" He looked up from buckling the swordless belt around his waist.

"I want you to know, whatever happens in this – black void – I think of you as a brother, everything else aside. And what happened on Deathwater Island is… forgotten and forgiven." For some reason Caspian could not meet Edmund's eyes, so he stood there, feeling at a loss for further words.

"For me, too."

Caspian looked up, slightly surprised.

"We weren't exactly thinking clearly on that island, and I don't plan on ever holding that between us. Friends – or brothers – don't hold things between them to create rifts," Edmund elaborated. Caspian nodded, turning to pick up Rhindon.

"You gave up your sword," he remarked casually after several seconds' silence; as if noticing this fact for the first time.

"Well, it wasn't mine to keep," Edmund replied, reaching for his torch which he'd laid on a nearby table. He fingered the slight dent in the flashlight, a memento of sorts, from the castle raid that had begun and ended so badly.

Caspian stared at Peter's sword, glancing at Edmund, who was lost in thought. "Take Rhindon," he decided aloud, holding the sheathed weapon out to Edmund.

"I can't– it's, just– Peter gave it to you," Edmund stopped stuttering, took a long inhale, and said the words matter-of-factly, trying to remain logical to remind himself what holding his brother's sword would mean.

"I know, but, well, I felt that when I promised to look after it for him – and Narnia as well – I always felt that I would be guarding it for _him_; but when he was not to return, I felt that I was keeping it safe for you to bear someday. It's never felt like 'my' sword, in the sense of the word, even after all these years. He would want you to have it, I believe, were he able to have a vote in the matter," Caspian insisted, still holding out the weapon to Edmund.

Edmund swallowed, biting his lip as he stared at the blade he dearly wished to hold. It felt like he was moving in a haze when he finally reached for it. Caspian held onto Rhindon for a second longer than was necessary, nodding slightly at Edmund in recognition before releasing it to him. Edmund smiled at his friend as he slid the sword into the buckles at his side.

He didn't think Caspian would ever understand the meaning of holding the sword, so he didn't bother explaining himself. But one thing Caspian did understand was a look of acceptance; he had felt that himself; seeing it in Edmund made him feel closer to the other king in a way he could never have been with Peter, because they both understood the need to be accepted, to belong. Something Peter would never feel.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy entered the cabin she'd shared with her sister, searching for her dagger and cordial. Gael was playing with Rilian, who was crawling on the bed under Susan's watchful eye. Lucy was unaware of Gael's steady gaze as she buckled on the belt with her dagger and cordial attached.

"When I grow up, I want to be just like you."

Lucy started a bit, but the look on her face was not one of surprise when she met Gael's gaze. Susan smiled at her sister's reply. "When you grow up, you should be just like… _you_." The youngest Pevensie sat down on the edge of the bed and slid her arm around Gael's small shoulders in a simple, sisterly hug, like the ones she remembered Susan giving her when she had been small.

Slowly, with some reluctance, Lucy rose from the bed and moved toward the door of the cabin. She knew that Susan would be out there with them if not for the children, but she wished that she didn't have to face the Island either. She wanted to be safe in a cabin locked behind a strong door with kings and Narnians between her and the danger. But adults had to be brave, and she had to realize this once more.

"Lucy," Susan spoke up quickly, leaving the chair next to the bed and following after her little sister; who was truly a braver woman and better queen than she could ever be. Lucy turned back at hearing her name called, wondering what Susan wanted.

"I love you, and I could never do half the things that you have done for this family. You're so good; sometimes I'm jealous of your faith. You'll always be the leader of this family of ours; even though Peter's the High King, you're the one who led us into this world first, and the happiness – yes, Peter and Edmund can't deny they have been happy, as am I – we have, or had, is owed to you and your belief in Aslan. We would be so lost without you, I would be," Susan admitted earnestly, bringing Lucy into a tender embrace.

Lucy was stunned by this admittance; to think that she was the one who had thought Susan better than her! She had always been comparing herself to her older sister's elegance and beauty, but here was Susan saying it wasn't beauty or manners that she was envious of but her faith and character. Those words touched Lucy in a way she couldn't fathom, so she did the only thing she could possibly do in return in that moment; she hugged her sister back. They parted, Susan quickly wiping away sentimental tears, and Lucy smiling in a forlorn manner before turning and exiting the cabin.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Caspian joined Edmund and Lucy, who were standing next to Drinian at the helm, after finding a sword for himself in the weapons locker. He was glad he had brought his usual sword along on this voyage; at least he was familiar with it. He hated to be holding an unfamiliar sword in his hand in the heat of battle; it made for unfortunate circumstances, even death in rare cases. He also brought one for Eustace, since he noticed the boy didn't have one and was only holding a dagger. He handed it to the boy before coming to a standstill beside Edmund.

"What do you suppose is in there?" the Just King asked, staring into the looming void which was rapidly becoming too close for possible comfort.

"I don't know," Caspian whispered, blinking several times as he stared at the island. He had never felt such fear in his life, and it terrified him to realize he had no idea, not an inkling, of what he was going up against, what he had put his men up against. Who knew what lay in there? The Stars hadn't even been able to tell him, and they were the wisest things on Lumea before Aslan!

Below them, the men and Narnians standing at the ready were starting to shift in their places uneasily as they drew up to the island. Some began whispering amongst one another in concerned, hushed tones. "Caspian, speak to them, they need to hear something encouraging from you!" Edmund hissed, nodding his head in the direction of the rail in front of them. "I'd speak to them myself, but you know what little good that would do; they'll trust my words about as much as I'd trust some strange magician who claimed he could magic himself into a dragon and back again," Edmund whispered, glancing at Caspian.

"What can I _possibly_ say? That I've no idea what I've done and whether or not we'll live? Oh yes, that's _very_ inspiring!" Caspian shot back tensely.

"Don't pull one of Peter's excuses on me now; I won't stand for it! Bloody _think_ of something. I've heard some of your speeches, and the last time I was here, a Talking Animal told me of an especially inspiring one in the Shuddering Woods. Can't you replicate that, with something new and different for the situation? Men only fight for someone if they believe in him!" Edmund whispered under his breath knowingly.

"Very well, but if this does not help, and I say words for nothing, it's you who will be responsible, not I!" Caspian threatened, moving forward with a bit of hesitance in his stride.

"What did you tell him to get that fire in his eyes? I haven't seen him so directed since the War of Deliverance!" Lucy whispered, coming up beside her brother.

"I knew that if I harped on him enough, he'd lose his temper; it really is a terrible habit. I told him to speak to them, to encourage them. So that's what he's doing," Edmund explained, smiling slightly with triumph as Caspian began talking.

Caspian stared down at the men before clearing his throat and getting their attention. "Narnians," he paused, making certain they had heard him. They had. Every single sailor turned to him, waiting expectantly. "Narnians, today we face a great peril, but we are not strangers to such a thing. Many of you I fought alongside in the war against Calormen and the War of Deliverance, and we know that size and strength do not matter. What matters is courage and loyalty, but not to me."

The sailors seemed to pay real attention to him after he said that, leaning forward slightly, staring at him intently with eyes that began to glimmer with small flecks of hope.

"Loyalty to each other and to Narnia, for Aslan, is what matters. In this voyage, we have come across many a strange thing: creatures, enchantments, and evils. All of you have proved your loyalty by standing with us against them. For this I commend you; you have proven your worth as friends and as followers of Aslan. Though we have feared, we have overcome and moved on; none of you tried to find some excuse as to why we must return to Narnia; in fact, when once I asked you if we should turn back, you insisted we continue east.

"I find no fault with such bravery. And not a single man standing before me can I condemn; I can only encourage you as best I can. I cannot promise success for this final adventure, but I cannot promise failure; I do not know what is coming; this is the honest truth, and I put it before you. I have led you this far and hope that Aslan will lead us the rest of the way. I know that you trust in Aslan, and I am content with knowing you rely in him more than in me, for kings may fail and men may lie, but Aslan is constant, true, steadfast, and sure.

"Whatever takes place in this darkness, I believe that songs will be sung of your bravery for many years to come and throughout every Age, and stories will be told of the sailors of the _Dawn_ _Treader_ who were not afraid to stand with Aslan as their guide and protector in the face of the unknown. Keep your strength; hold fast your faith. Forget I am your king; I do not want you fighting for me, but for Aslan and for Narnia, for those behind us who await our return; fight so that they might remain free and safe in future years. For Narnia and for Aslan." Caspian turned away from the rail, not expecting the rousing shouts and cheers of the men below him.

He stopped, turned back to them, and smiled; their trust was infectious, their hope undeniable. They were brave men, but the guidance of a courageous, yet also humble king, was exactly what they needed to give them strength. Aslan had chosen the next monarch to sit on the Narnian throne well, but that was no surprise to Edmund, who stood watching Caspian with a small smile of support on his face. Aslan regarded a man's _heart_, not his countenance, when selecting a future ruler. Caspian had faults, but Edmund knew that mattered little, since he knew the right direction to go and to follow Aslan's path.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

With a feline elegance that mortals admired but was common among Stars and their kin, Arran dropped to Eustace and Reep's sides' from the rigging above them as the ship slid into the maw of the darkness that lay ahead. "_Verda_, Eustace. Do not fear or tremble; there is nothing before us that Aslan will not preserve us from," Arran rested his hand reassuringly on the boy's arm as he whispered the ancient word to quell his fear before speaking quietly of Aslan.

"I– I don't think I'm very afraid, just uneasy, Arran," Eustace whispered, staring wide-eyed at the blackness before him, gripping the hilt of the dagger in his palm tighter.

"That sword Caspian gave you, use it, not the dagger; remember, only use the dagger on something magic or immortal, like kin of mine. I wouldn't like to know the result of an accidental lunge," Arran warned.

"Okay," Eustace whispered, his voice sounding a little breathless as he focused all his attention on Dark Island.

"No fear and no retreat!" Reep declared confidently, brandishing his sword with a little flourish. Eustace jumped at the words that seemed unnaturally loud in the thick stillness that emanated from the edges of the darkness.

"Yes, exactly, wh-what he said," Eustace quickly agreed, pointing at Reep and trying to sound brave to convince himself.

"_Verda, ni la atta fon anath, Kinador_," Arran whispered, smiling at Eustace before taking his hand off the boy's shoulder and withdrawing from his side.

"What does that mean?" Eustace asked, turning sharply.

"I think you know; somewhere in your memory you hold traces of the knowledge of understanding my language from your time as a dragon. Try and remember. It will come to you; perhaps tomorrow, perhaps someday thousands of Narnian years from now; but remember you shall." Arran walked away from the Mouse and the boy, long blonde dreadlocks pushed back from his face in the wind of his path, revealing a small silver scar that ran down his neck and under his collar. Eustace remembered what Arran had told him of Mezelzaz and shuddered.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The darkness slowly began to cover them as they sailed into the island. Drinian ordered Tavros and several other sailors to light the lanterns, which was not a moment too soon, for within minutes the darkness overwhelmed the seemed to crawl, slither almost, over the rails and up the mast toward the lantern braced at the top, as if it sought to quench the small flame that flickered there. Then, all around them a mournful sigh echoed on and on into the darkness. Like someone waking from a dream that they regretted leaving behind in the realms of sleep.

Everyone looked around them, at each other, at the water, which they couldn't see but could hear lapping eerily against the side of the ship. Suddenly a noise jarred everyone from their thoughts, coming from the left side of the ship. In the wood beneath their feet they could feel the keel of the _Treader_ scrape against something. Caspian and Edmund were the first to the rail to inspect damage as everyone else grouped around them, craning for a glimpse, too.

A weathered masthead rose from the water, and in the murky gloom they could the rotting spar that had once held the sail aloft was scrapping and breaking off against the _Dawn_ _Treader_ as she glided by the wrecked vessel resting below the water. Caspian's eyes met Edmund's, both thinking the same question. Could the ship beneath the water's surface be the vessel of the seventh Lord – the Lord whose sword they needed to break this dark enchantment?

Edmund pulled his torch from his belt and played its beam out across the dark water toward the masthead, looking for something to give them a hint, but it was futile; the years had worn away whatever clues they might have been able to find.

That was when they heard it, a wail of terror from the shadows, a keen so high and full of anger that it caused everyone to shiver subconsciously at the sound. The words it screamed were unmistakable.

"Keep _away_! Turn back; do not let the terror come upon you!"

Caspian shouted for Drinian to steer the _Treader_ toward the sound, which he did quickly. Everyone began scrambling around the deck anxiously, trying to find something to do or to prepare for whatever was crying out in the darkness. Edmund crossed the deck to the right, and if not for the light of his torch, might have crashed into Gavan, Zephyr, and Arran, who were already standing at the rail and peering into abyss beyond.

"See anything?" he asked nonchalantly before shining his light into the darkness.

"No, but something's wrong," Zephyr replied uneasily.

"Of course something's wrong; there's a man screaming in terror out there somewhere, and we don't know if it's genuine or a trap!" Rynelf muttered in annoyance, coming to the rail moments before Caspian and Serene did. Arran scowled at the sailor but said nothing. Lucy approached cautiously, trying to quell her unease at the cry. She had never liked to hear people in pain, which was why she supposed Aslan had given her the healing cordial.

"There!" Serene cried, stretching her arm over the railing and pointing at a rock that Edmund had just played his torch over. Something reflected the light in the darkness, which looked like a flash of lightning in the eternal night around them. Edmund's light shone upon a sword, which he followed to reveal the owner's hand, arm, and not long after, face and body.

The man was old but thin and lithe, as if he was used to sea life or had been an experienced adventurer once. His hair was a grey-black and fell about his shoulders wildly; it and his beard were unkempt and damp from the sea air. He jumped from rock to rock on his small island in the middle of the water, brandishing his sword high and pointing it at them while he continued to rant about demons and monsters, pain and losses, which they did not catch or pay attention to as they realized he held the sword they desperately sought.

"Lord Rhoop," Caspian whispered, before realizing what the man held. "It's the sword! he's holding the sword; he has the seventh sword!" he shouted, for a moment not able to comprehend anything other than that. Edmund whispered the words under his breath, along with about a dozen of the other crew members, because the words meant that their quest into the heart of this evil island was ended; they could break the enchantment and free the east from darkness.

While everyone came out of the trance to figure out how they could bring the Lord onto the ship, Caspian's outcry had a very different impact on the Lord. He stopped raving and stared across the water at them as if struck dumb. "My lord?" he called out hesitantly, cocking his head to one side and staring at the spot where he had heard Caspian speak from the shadows, where the king was now talking with Drinian.

At his words, Caspian turned back to stare at the man. "Aye, Lord Rhoop, I am your king, Caspian the Tenth, son of Caspian the Ninth!" he shouted back reassuringly.

"Oh, my lord, you should not have come here!" the man cried. Even as he spoke he sheathed his sword, and in an instant, dove into the water and began swimming toward the ship.

Rhince and Timothy grabbed a rope and tossed it down to the Lord as he reached the ship's side. Like anyone eager to be removed from unbearable conditions, Rhoop climbed the rope as if his life depended upon it. When he arrived on deck, he stared at all the people around him, uneasy.

"Keep back!" Rhoop cried, pulling his sword from his sheath and waving it in warning at the crew, Lucy, and the Stars who had been trying to approach him. Quickly Caspian pushed through.

"Be calm, Lord Rhoop; we are all here to save you. One thing I ask, your sword, we have need of it, great need." Caspian's words seemed to soothe the man into submission, for he gave a small whimper of fear and disquiet before dropping the sword he held to the deck. Caspian quickly retrieved it and turned back to Edmund and Drinian. The Lord followed after him like a stray dog reunited with a beloved master.

"I thank you, my lord, for coming to my rescue, but you should not have! For it will be your death! No one can escape… _Him_! I know, I and my men tried until naught was left but I; do not think He will so lightly let you bring all this to an end!" Rhoop warned in a regretful tone, grasping Caspian's arm and pulling at his sleeve nervously.

"What do you mean?" Arran was quick to pounce upon the man, grabbing his arm and pulling him away from such close contact with Caspian and Edmund. He didn't especially like any of these mortals – excluding Eustace, of whom he had grown fond – nevertheless, they were _his_ mortals, and no crazy old man was going to be given a chance injure them!

"Him, oh _Him_! Why do you think they cry out in pain and sorrow? Can you not hear them– can you not feel it?" Rhoop moaned abruptly, covering his ears with his hands and falling to the deck with a tortured howl. "They never stop; always they cry out, but I cannot save them; I cannot stop Him!" Rhoop raved, rocking back and forth.

Arran pulled back, staring at the man with something akin to horror coming over his fair features. "No, he's dead; I was told he died," the pirate whispered absently while leaning toward the man, reaching out and touching his lean shoulder.

"Off me, demon!" Rhoop suddenly thundered, pushing the Star's hand away roughly. "You will not play your tricks on me, not now!" the Lord bellowed, struggling back to his feet.

"What is he going on about?" Lucy asked, turning worried eyes to Serene.

"I don't know," the enchantress whispered, looking at the Lord with concern.

Suddenly all the Stars whirled, expressions of hate, disgust, and surprise on their faces as they turned toward the direction Rhoop had swum from. As they did, exaggerated clapping ensued. Everyone on board jumped at the sound. As they watched, a strange green light exploded upward, like a flare from a rocket gun. It gave the area an eerie light. Then, from out of nowhere, a large green shroud of mist rose up. Through it they could see a figure and light.

Once it had parted from the mist, it was easy to see the figure walking toward the water's edge from a bank of rocks. It was easy to see him because he glowed.

Like a Star.

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**A/N:**

**I have hit the eighty-review mark! Cheers and chardonnay to all! (...parties, I love parties, drinks all around!) Jack, go away, this is for Narnia, currently! :)**

**Well, what do you think? This is finally getting interesting, don't you think? Now, before I go on, I must do my usual.**

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**Jesus girl 4ever is my beta, and she fixed quite a few of my (embarrassing, if I must say) mistakes in this chapter. She has truly been quite the help to me; I couldn't do what she's done! So, applause to her for helping me turn out a chapter with little to no mistakes!**

* * *

**Ok, I want to apologize to anyone who might have liked Caspian's speech in the VOTDT film. Because, truth be told, I always disliked it. Personally, I found it weak and lacking. The one I wrote seems just a bit more stronger and realistic, but, hey, you tell me.**

**So, um, I really changed the finding of Lord Rhoop, sorry there... (actually I'm not that sorry at all, I kind of liked mine better, considering that Eustace wasn't a dragon in the book and all) But that's just my prejudiced opinion. **

**I liked writing Caspian and Edmund talking, I always thought that that part in the movie was a bit awkward, you know? I guess what I'm trying to say is the dialogue seems a bit... stiff. I just didn't find it very well acted (not that I can do better, but I'm just saying that I know those two are much better actors, and that scene kinda flopped). **

**I think the fact that Arran, in spite of himself has become attached to all these people, even though he was only going with them to protect them. He's found himself liking them and feeling fond of them even after he didn't want to let that happen. **

**Random thought: _I bet if Arran and Legolas were to ever talk, they'd feel much the same about their mortal companions._**

**Random thought 2: _If you add up Arran, Gavan, Zephyr, Caspian, Edmund, Eustace, Lucy, Susan and Serene, (or take off the Stars and add Peter, Amalia, and Jill) that's nine friends. (I never knew that, weird, isn't it?) And I didn't even know it was nine people that made up the Fellowship of the Ring when I started this adventure. Kinda creepy, just saying._**

**Yes, I am aware that the section where the wrecked ship's mast scrapes against the _Dawn Treader_ is a bit Pirates of the Caribbean reminiscent, but I wasn't trying to make it like that at all! The image of the wreck's mast and the dark water just would not leave my head.**

**I am also aware that this chapter may have been slightly shorter, but I'm going to try to keep the chapter length down. (Makes more chapters and frequent updates, which is kind of annoying, but not for you readers, I'd imagine.) So, please tell me what you think and leave your input, always nice to hear!**

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**ILoveFanfiction:**

**I'm glad you liked how I introduced Ramandu, I really wish the filmmakers had put him in, because I always thought his character was awesome, and very mysterious, because of how much he must know, and so many of his lines in the book are inspiring and good, sage advice. **

**The one thing I won't regret the filmmakers doing is letting Caspian join the Pevensies when they walk up to the the wave that meets the sky. I always felt that he should've gotten to finish the journey with them, since he wouldn't ever see them again. **

**I always cry at that spot, and I'm not really a crier over films. But that, that gets to me. The fact that he considers them family, and that you know he'll never see them again in that life. And then Eustace has to ask if he'll come back, which also makes me sad, because he won't get to see Caspian again! Ok, I'll stop now! **

**But, anyway, things are warming up, I hope you enjoy this finale!**

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**Happy reading! WH1492 **


	34. Not What Many Can Claim

**Chapter Thirty-Four: Not What Many Can Claim**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Long, silver-blonde hair fell down over his shoulders, nearly to his waist, moving in an almost nonexistent breeze as the being came to stand on the shoreline of rock. His clothes were silver but much more elegant than Ramandu's simple garments. These were fine, like the clothes Arran and his siblings had worn to the anniversary ball celebrating Narnia's four years of peace and freedom before the _Dawn_ _Treader_ had sailed.

Arran and his brothers rushed to the edge of the ship; as they came closer, though it was not much, they began to glow, and the light around the stranger turned dark, a mixture of the ill green color that floated about in the mist and black, making the light that emanated from him look like it was going out. They watched him say something, and suddenly the ill-looking light became pure again, like a lamp when, after it flickers in a draft, burns a little brighter.

"_Denorla_ _ie brena_, Arran," the man said, his voice sounding silvery and soothing but at the same time too uncomfortable to be genuine. "_Menla_ _aal_, Gavan, Zephyr," he added, raising his hand as if in greeting.

"Do not speak to me in a language not worthy of your tongue!" Arran shouted back, the red glow around his figure brightening as his anger grew.

"And it is worthy of yours, oh half-blood?" the man asked, raising his hand. "_Ishlad_ _ven_ _surla_!" he said rapidly, as his arm slowly fell back to his side. Had Edmund not been paying attention, the sword he held would have been wrenched from his grasp. Serene ran to him, shouting her own enchantments, barely keeping the sword in their possession. Edmund gasped for a breath, trying to get his wind back after the sudden assault.

"Nithalazaar, I have not done so great a sin as you; I have not turned the light that is in me into twisted darkness and malice!" Arran replied before turning away to see what had happened and to talk with Caspian, leaving his brothers to verbally fight Nithalazaar.

"That sword does not belong to you," Nithalazaar declared, a note of annoyance in his voice.

"Nor you, _Avenilian_!" Zephyr retorted, leaning over the rail.

"For the thousandth time, I _am_ _not_ _lost_! I have simply discovered what my destiny is!" Nithalazaar raged, his face twisting into a scowl. "I spent all those centuries thinking that I was weak and broken, crippled by the mortal blood I bear, when in reality I had just not yet learned how to use our language for its true purpose! It is a weapon, a most powerful and glorious one, and I have learned how to wield it!" he declared triumphantly.

"No, Nithalazaar, you are wrong! Aslan never meant for you to become this; he did not know how broken you were, the son of a traitor and a faithful one; He did not know this would turn you out into the darkness, He thought it would heal you; please, give us the sword; we can help you!" Gavan shouted imploringly, trying to discover if there was any remnant of light within the Star that was pure.

"You still follow after that devil, that creature who thinks he can control us? How pathetic you are, but you are young, merely children; time might bring you to realize the truth of _Aslan_!" Nithalazaar said mockingly. Lucy, watching Gavan and Zephyr try to talk to the warped Star, was surprised to hear them be referred to as children; for the first time she realized that by Star standards, they were very young.

"We are glorious! Meant to rule the worlds; Gavan, Zephyr, can you not see it?" Nithalazaar's voice rose and then softened as he finished his sentence, meeting their eyes across the expanse with his own icy-blue gaze.

"And what has fighting against the Great One earned us? Naught but separation, _Dinniani,"_ Zephyr insisted, his voice coaxing, pleading.

"Zephyr, Zephyr, Zephyr, what has your father taught you all?" Nithalazaar said with exaggerated forlornness. "Very well, if you won't give that sword to me, won't see what we could become, then I will have to take it by force; it is the only weakness in my power; by all I possess, I will not let you take it from here!" Nithalazaar said warningly, raising his hands from his sides.

"Caspian, Edmund, Arran!" Gavan shouted frantically as he turned from the rail to warn his friends and find his brother. Both he and Zephyr ducked under the rail as the barrage of weapons materialized from the green mist of Nithalazaar's magic. Gavan grabbed Lucy and pulled her down just before a black spear hissed passed overhead. One sailor wasn't as fortunate as the others who had managed to dive to the deck, and a pike pinned him to the mast.

As another barrage came at them, Serene rose from her crouch beside Edmund. Turning toward the volley of projectiles, she shouted in the most wondrous language any of the Narnians had ever heard, the language of lands beyond the sun, a language that she had learnt to master in Aslan's Country. It was not like the song of the birds' on Ramandu's Island, but it was just as beautiful. With a loud echoing crash, the weapons disappeared in a green cloud of hissing mist.

"What was that? I didn't know you had taken to harboring witches, _Ca-liaani-lie,_" Nithalazaar noted with interest, pacing on his length of shore and staring at Serene, who glared at him, her power amassing around her in thin tendrils of mist that looked rather like light.

"Cease now, while I am yet lenient," she warned.

"Oh, but I want that power you have; it has captivated me since first I sensed it," Nithalazaar replied, smiling coldly.

Slowly Caspian stood, glancing at Edmund and a few of the sailors, including Drinian, who followed his lead. They watched Nithalazaar pace, wondering tensely what he would try next. "I will have that sword!" the broken Star suddenly raged, turning abruptly to face them, shouting once more in the language of the Stars. Green mist came from every direction, whispering. Hundreds of voices called out, echoing, overlapping one another. The mist flowed around them.

"You made it this far, but what happens when you must wage war against your own mind?" The Star's voice seemed distant, almost as if they were hearing him in a dream. It was in that moment that the mist changed.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Caspian dropped to the deck when a sword, which called back to nearly-forgotten memories, swung at him as a human being walked out from the clouds of mist enveloping the _Treader_. Caspian stared, forgetting for a moment that the man before him had just tried to kill him. He thought he had forgotten, but faced with _this_, everything came back.

"Father…" he breathed longingly. He was shaken from the dazed state by the sword once again being directed towards him.

He jumped to his feet, quickly blocking the downward strike with his own sword, hands shaking slightly because he was staring at a man who appeared to be his father. He couldn't pause to wonder because the man advanced toward him and he was forced to back away. Something in the far corners of his mind told him that this was not his father; this was wrong; he should kill it while he had the chance, but another part of him could not bear to attack the man who looked so much like Caspian the Ninth.

"It's hard to know you must kill something you love or yearn for to live, isn't it? He never told you he loved you, did he? Not ever; I see that now. How sad, and now you must kill him to survive." Caspian was dimly aware of Nithalazaar's voice but could not make his mind focus on it, as hard as he tried; it was enough just keeping his attention on the man trying to kill him.

But the words the Star spoke were true; how he ached to know – just _once_ – that his father might have cared for him; to be loved was almost too much to ask, but to know he had been cared for fondly, he wanted that _desperately_. Only when he had been forced up against the mast did Caspian reluctantly act in retaliation, sliding his blade between himself and the figure that bore such strong resemblance to his father.

"What a disgrace you are; you call yourself my son but are king to these _people_," the man hissed cruelly, using the word 'people' in insulting reference to the Narnians. He clashed his sword against Caspian's with brute strength.

Caspian barely managed to block the next lunge; he was so stunned. He could not fight this, even if it wasn't his father. He could not; he would feel like _he_ had murdered his father, not Miraz.

"What a _pathetic_ _coward_, and I had hoped you might have been a stronger, cunning man, but you're too much like those wretched barbarians; it's a wonder you've lived this long," the man sneered as they crossed swords, the hilts clashing together.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Arran, Gavan, and Zephyr slashed through the opponents Nithalazaar had pitted against them. They weren't so easily fooled by the trick as their mortal companions. Though it was bizarre to "kill" their friends and family, it was not a challenge, just an obstacle; after all, it was only an illusion. Arran grabbed Edmund, pulling him away from the form that looked so much like his brother, who was about to run him through because Edmund couldn't see past the mirage. As Arran slashed at it, the green mist hissed angrily and faded.

"Edmund, don't fall prey to it; it's all in your imagination; kill it; only if it does not try to kill you do you hesitate. And remember, fear not, for if we kill each other this day in error, then you will all be in Aslan's country together for eternity; where is the anguish in that?" Arran cheered the king, giving him a fleeting smile before ducking away again.

Edmund closed his eyes momentarily and rolled his shoulders, trying to loosen the stiffness in them. "_Breathe_, _Edmund_ _Pevensie_," he commanded himself, trying to regain control of his thoughts.

Peter was not trying to kill him; Peter was not the enemy; Nithalazaar was. An image of his mother lunged toward him with a dagger in her hand; he cut her down before looking twice. That one had been easier because he knew his mother didn't know how to use a dagger, but still, it wouldn't help to think about what he was doing.

"Just fight as if you're in battle, because you are," he whispered to himself, dodging a sailor who was swinging wildly at an opponent.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

The ship, without a man at the helm, began veering toward the shore. Drinian, sporting a long gash in his arm from an image that had looked strangely like his sister Mary, noticed the helm spinning loosely to the left and right. With a grunt of pain he forced himself off of the railing he had been leaning on and began moving toward the helm purposefully.

When another image materialized before him, he didn't pause, but simply ran it through. He hadn't the time or the excess amount of blood to play games; he needed to keep his vessel from colliding with the shore. It was his duty as the _Treader's_ captain, and he would not shirk from it, not for all the battle wounds in Narnia.

As he struggled to turn it with his good arm, the bow scrapped against a boulder jutting up from the depths of the waves. Everyone on board stumbled, some falling to their knees at the force of the impact. As they hit, Arran had been trying to reach for the seventh sword, which Edmund had dropped on deck during his fight and forgotten long ago. Just when it was in reach, it slid away from him along the deck. To his left suddenly, a hand reached out, trying to grasp the hilt of the blade also.

Arran turned to look and found himself staring at Caspian. But the King was too intent upon reclaiming the sword to acknowledge the pirate beside him. Together they struggled to retrieve the weapon, Caspian fighting off mirages to give Arran time to go after it or Arran shielding Caspian from them. Time and again they lunged out to grab it, but it continued to elude them.

Arran scowled and tried to grab it once more, but as he reached out, a sailor's foot kicked it away again. Suddenly the ship groaned as it bashed against another boulder. He whirled when he felt the wind of a body move behind him, avoiding being skewered on the end of a lance by an image that looked like a man he once knew and had held in high regard.

"Arran, the sword!" Caspian shouted, diverting the Star's attention. The King was once again fighting with an illusion of his father and couldn't grab the blade himself. Arran tried to find the weapon in the chaos. When he did, he lunged toward it, but as he did, it slid toward the railing and off into the dark water.

"No!" He shouted, diving after it. They could _not_ lose it now.

"Arran, don't–!" Gavan cried, trying to reach his brother, but he had already jumped over the side. Gavan rushed to the edge, followed by Caspian, but they could not see the Star. With a low sound of anger in his throat, Gavan turned back to the ship; he felt like setting something aflame.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy gasped as she warded off another blow from her opponent – one of her old friends from Narnia, a woman who had been a great help to Susan and her once. As she fought, her anger grew; this was a sick way to try to kill someone, and she had had enough!

Angrily she lashed out at the phantom before her. Suddenly the figure stopped its approach, stared at her, and vanished in a cloud of smoke and light. Lucy recoiled in fear. What had just happened?

She gasped, trying to catch her breath. A hand fell on her shoulder, and she screamed, jumping away and brandishing her sword. But only Eustace stood before her. "Lu–" his breath caught and he paused, doubling over, resting his hands on his knees. "Lucy, we must get to the – Nithalazaar, for I shan't call that _thing_ a Star; he's nothing like Arran." Eustace shuddered.

"Eustace, we can't; we can't leave the ship; besides that, I don't think anything could kill him," Lucy replied, ducking a sailor's weapon as he charged past.

"I have something… that… might," Eustace declared breathlessly, pulling the dagger Arran had given him from his belt and holding it up triumphantly before her eyes.

"What… How…?" Lucy stared at her cousin.

"Arran," Eustace confided, leaning closer to her to whisper the word.

"How do we get to shore?" Lucy asked.

"Just get _me_ there… I'll try to do the rest… and if I die, well… I guess being in Aslan's Country isn't _so_ bad… and neither are my cousins. I'm related to royalty; not many boys can… claim that." Eustace grinned at her between breaths, wiping a trickle of sweat from his cheek.

"Oh… Eustace, I can't believe…" Lucy trailed off before gathering her young cousin in a tight embrace as she tried to hold back tears. She never thought she'd hear Eustace of all people say such selfless words; they meant a lot to her. "Let's see if we can tell the others and try to convince Drinian to steer close enough to the rocks," Lucy said, pulling away. Eustace nodded, hurrying after her as he put the dagger back in his belt.

As they made their way through the fighting, every now and then dodging someone or something, the ship again hit a rock. Lucy was thrown to the deck; when she looked up, she caught a glimpse of Eustace jumping from the rail and trying to grab at the boulders. "Eustace, you–" she couldn't finish her sentence, for a column of mist turned into a human-like figure and lunged toward her. Looking once more over her shoulder after Eustace, she began fighting off her newest opponent.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

" …On the deck!"

Zephyr looked up from pinning a mist-shrouded figure to the stairs with its own lance, trying to find the source of the voice. Suddenly he noticed something flying through the air from over the side of the _Treader_. Quickly he dodged to catch the sword, and when he turned around, Arran was struggling to climb onto the deck. Zephyr ran to his brother, smiling even in the midst of this nightmare because Arran was alive, and he had found the seventh sword once more.

"How do you ever manage it?" Zephyr asked, holding out his hand for the soaking Star to grasp.

"Don't ask me such a question, for I cannot tell the answer," Arran replied, a hint of breathlessness in his voice as he accepted the hand up.

"I'm just glad you're alive," Zephyr replied, catching his brother up in a warm embrace before turning back to the battle.

"So am I," Arran muttered, pulling his sword from his sheath.

Arran immersed himself into the battle, struggling to ignore the traces of Nithalazaar's voice trying to enter his mind so they could communicate by thought. He wanted nothing to do with the traitor of his people.

"Arran!" The pirate turned with a jerk when he heard his voice called. Lucy ran up to him, ducking swords and swerving to miss fighting men and Narnians.

"Lucy?" he asked, not really processing anything; he was still lost in the battle; coming out of fighting magic was harder than coming out of fighting Men.

"Arran, Eustace has gone to try to kill Nithalazaar – with the dagger you gave him!" she shouted, fending off yet another figure.

_"Oh, Eustace, you are too brave and naive for your good,"_ Arran thought to himself, looking toward the shoreline, which they were closing in upon steadily.

"I must stop him!" the pirate shouted back to her. As he turned away, he stopped, trying to catch a breath. He glanced back at Lucy. If only she realized how powerful she was, she could end this. He stumbled to the railing, tripped, and gasped, trying to escape the power and force of Lucy's magic, her faith, pressing down on him.

Dropping his sword to the deck and checking to make certain he still had one dagger left, he plunged back into the water, hoping he could rescue the brave but foolish boy before Nithalazaar did something to him.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Caspian, there's too many of these phantasms." Edmund gasped, coming up to his friend in the midst of the battle. He had fought his brother six times, Susan twice, Lucy once, his parents, well, them he had stopped counting; it was getting to be taxing, both emotionally and physically, to kill his family over and over so ruthlessly. He had started to think that if, had he sworn fealty to the Witch, he might have been forced to do just this to his siblings. It ached for him to think of the possibility, but it would not dissipate.

"I'm aware of how many there are, Edmund, except what other choice do we have to but fight or die?" Caspian answered, ducking a blow.

"I know," Edmund whispered before running toward Rhince who was fighting a man he bore strong resemblance to. At least they did not have to battle a sea serpent. Edmund glanced at Nithalazaar and saw something roil the water near the land. His blood ran cold. The Star wouldn't.

"_Oh, yes he would," _his mind contradicted, bringing to mind what Lord Rhoop had said.

_"Do not think; do not let Him know your fears, or the mist will become them!"_

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Arran ducked under an overhang, trying to find Eustace. He pulled back behind a rock when he heard footsteps, and suddenly Nithalazaar walked past, muttering in Davanrata as he stopped at the water's edge and bent down, running his long, tapered fingers through the water. Arran watched the Star, remembering stories of how great a musician he had been before his fall, how wise and brave. How could someone so good turn so bad? He wondered before tearing his gaze from the broken Star to search the area for Eustace or a sign of him.

"_Da morna var na_!" the broken Star suddenly shouted, rising and whirling with hand outstretched to face a large group of rocks at his left. Arran grimaced, knowing that Eustace had been found but not by the right person. Fighting and kicking, the boy was dragged by magic toward Nithalazaar.

"Arran, I cannot call you with your own language, but I know you are there!" Nithalazaar suddenly called out, smiling absently as Eustace collapsed on his hands and knees at his feet. The broken Star's eyes widened, and he reached down, forcing the dagger out of Eustace's grasp. "_Du un berela, Rata-mere na mi!_" he exclaimed, holding the weapon aloft.

"So, you're the little boy my kin has become overly fond of. My pets tell me you like to fly on dragon wings; is that so?" Green mist swirled near Nithalazaar's hand, and Eustace felt disgusted that the broken Star considered the vile substance to be his 'pets.'

"What about it?" Eustace retorted, narrowing his eyes at the Star.

"Oh, you see, I thought you might like to fly again," Nithalazaar replied nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders in a careless manner.

"Are you threatening me?" Eustace stared up at him, bewildered.

"No," Nithalazaar bent down, grasping the back of Eustace's shirt. "I'm telling you the process of elimination. You're first," he whispered, staring into the boy's eyes, searching his face for even a hint of fear. But Eustace had no experience with this sort of thing, so the fear that Nithalazaar expected was absent; instead there was a steady resolve that confounded him.

"Since you do not object, _Du_ _Fenaranor, du cal-I morna vorn fon_." He jerked Eustace away from him and then stepped over the boy, his robes brushing against him as he walked back down to the water.

Eustace gasped at the strange feeling that went tingling through him before everything changed quickly.

He could now see better in the dark, and he wasn't quite as uncomfortable on his hands and knees as he had been before. He also noticed, craning his dragon's head around to look, that he was much larger than before; the thought pleased him for a moment, the vanity of dragons clouding his mind, but it vanished when he realized that he was starting to forget his friends; the only thing that reminded him about them was a sudden scream of terror from the _Treader_ that caused him to look in that direction.

He eyes widened in shock and outrage at what he saw. He spread his wings, intending to help his friends battle against the terrifying sea monster that was coming upon them, when a painful sound seemed to spring from all around him, loud and high-pitched. He roared in pain, tossing his head from side to side, hoping to be rid of the frustrating noise.

"_You are _**my**_ servant; you will do what _**I**_ say, or that ringing will drive you mad and then to death!"_ Nithalazaar's voice threatened in his mind. Eustace shook his head once more, crashing backwards and sending a scattering of rocks into the water nearby as he tried to get the broken Star's voice out of his head. Frustrated that he could not attack Nithalazaar, he opened his maw and spewed a column of fire several feet into the air, his anger making him look terrifying.

But then, in the midst of the noise, in the midst of Nithalazaar's commands to fight his friends – commands that were growing harder to ignore – a voice was humming softly, soothingly. Instantly Eustace picked up Arran's particular aura – well, Eustace called it that, since he didn't know what to call the lights and emotions every different Star gave off – and tried to focus on its relaxing quality.

He'd always thought Arran darker than his brothers when he'd been a dragon, but now, with Nithalazaar to compare him against, Arran shone like the sun in his mind's eye. Eustace closed his eyes, focusing in on Arran, letting Nithalazaar's voice grow dim and fade. No amount of screaming or shouting on the broken Star's part could draw Eustace back.

_"Eustace, let me deal with Nithalazaar; go and help the others defeat that monster, quickly!" _Arran's voice did not have the commanding air of Nithalazaar's; it was a voice Eustace felt he could be ordered around by for the rest of his days as a dragon – if he lived that long.

Eustace exhaled and then opened his eyes, the black cat-like irises narrowing when he saw the _Treader_ attacked by the sea serpent. He roared before spreading his wings and jumping into the dark sky, determined to ignore Nithalazaar's voice whispering for him to go against his friends.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Everyone on the Dawn Treader stumbled to a halt when the phantoms they had been fighting vanished, and they were alone once again on deck. But they stared at one another uneasily when they heard something move in the water. Lucy glanced apprehensively at Edmund and saw a look of guilt and self-contempt on his face that she had not seen in years. Suddenly she had a bad feeling about what was going to happen.

"Edmund, what are you thinking of?" she shouted across to him, eyes searching his face.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" he moaned, running to the rail and staring out across the water.

Caspian glanced at Lucy uneasily, but before he could follow her, Susan was at his side. "What's happening? What's going on?" She asked, staring at the wounded men and trying to peer off into the darkness surrounding them.

"You must go back to the children, please, Susan. It's Nithalazaar; he's alive, and he will kill anyone who believes they can defeat him with the swords," Caspian explained before motioning for her to go back to the cabin. "Protect the children; I don't know what he might do next," he advised, moving away from her and rushing to Edmund.

Susan stared after him, lifting her eyes to the shore, where she caught sight of the Star for the first time. For a moment she was too shocked and startled to move, seeing something that no one thought was still alive must be just as unbelievable as rulers everyone thought dead returning with the winding of a horn in the middle of a haunted forest. But her senses quickly returned, and she ran back to the cabin; she knew she had to keep the children safe no matter the cost.

Edmund stared at the water, which surged up as some great creature writhed beneath it. "What is that?" Caspian asked, not wanting to believe what his mind was telling him and his eyes were seeing.

"I did not truly think he knew my fear!" Edmund pleaded, feeling like he had betrayed his friends and family for the second time.

"Nor did I. What do you fear?" Caspian asked urgently, grasping Edmund by the shoulders, brown eyes looking into Edmund's intently.

"I was relieved he did not pit us against a monster, a sea monster." Edmund winced, looking back at the dark water, which was eerily still and quiet. Caspian turned away from him, shouting to the crew, when a hideous shriek rose from the darkness on their left.

Lucy was the first to turn in that direction; as she did, she noticed her sister standing at the cabin door staring at the deck below anxiously. When she tried to peer into the darkness, she saw something that made her heart stop. Gael crouched under the rail, looking more frightened than she'd ever been as the shrieking came closer to the ship.

"Gael, run!" she screamed, willing the little girl to move before something happened to her. But the girl only raised her head and stared in Lucy's direction with a terrified expression on her tear-stained face. In that second, Lucy made a decision. She ran from where she stood to the little girl and grabbed her hand.

She ignored the sound of a dragon-like bellow from behind her and the shouts of the crew and Edmund while she pulled the petrified little girl to her feet. Both stopped, dumbstruck, when a great tongue of fire streamed at the sea monster that was rising from the water only feet in front of them. With an earth-shaking roar and air drafts that were large enough the rock the ship, a dragon flew from the shadows and attacked the sea monster.

Slowly Lucy backed up, tripping over debris and broken rigging, her eyes never leaving the scene unfolding in front of her. Then someone grabbed her, and she had no time for thought. Susan pulled them back to the stairs, checking quickly to make certain neither was unharmed; she wrapped them both in a tearful embrace, crying into her sister's hair.

"I thought you were going to die, I –" Susan broke off, cupping her little sister's cheek in her hand. "I could not have done such a thing," she admitted before pulling Lucy into another hug.

Lucy smiled at her sister, trying to quell the shaking in her hands. "Quickly, we must get Gael to the cabin," she said, knowing now was not the time for tears or laughter.

"Yes, hurry; Lucy, come with me," Susan said, rushing up the stairs with Gael by her side.

Susan left the little girl with Lucy, going to check on Rilian. "You must stay here with my sister until someone comes for you; don't leave unless someone comes for you, all right?" Lucy coaxed, trying to keep her voice from shaking as she smiled at the little girl and smoothed her dark hair back from her face.

As she spoke, the entire ship rocked, and the screech of monsters battling one another could be heard outside the small cabin. Rilian was crying when Susan rushed up to Lucy. "Take this and go!" she ordered, thrusting her bow and quiver into Lucy's hands.

"But, these are your –"

"Lucy, take them! I can't go out and fight in that battle, but you can, and you have always been far braver than I. Go!" Susan smiled encouragingly through her fear before picking Rilian up from his crib and tugging Gael close to her side. Lucy nodded and turned to the door, shutting it securely behind her. Susan pulled Gael with her into a corner of the room by the bed and sat down, keeping her son and the girl close. She closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the wall.

_"Aslan, oh, Aslan!"_

* * *

**A/N:**

**Well, I'm back, with more dramatics and excitement! I actually can't believe that this story is almost over, can you? It's taking a little while to sink in, I must admit. I finished the last couple chapters 9/16/15, so now I'm simply publishing them as I get my notes back from my Beta.**

**(You're getting this chapter early because my sister is sitting behind me wishing to understand the inner-workings of FFN; she's from Wattpad and they have no consistency about updating {her words, not mine}. So, if you're going to thank anyone for this early and very much unexpected post, thank her.) **

* * *

**Speaking of betas, I must shout out thanks to Jesus girl 4ever for helping me through this book, she has taught me quite a few things and helped me with several silly problems I created! I hope she'll be there to help me with the next book!**

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**So, I realized from going over my last chapter and the A/N that I forgot to translate the Star's language for you guys! I'm really sorry. So, here's what Arran says to Eustace in chapter 33:**

"_Verda, ni la atta fon anath-on, Kinador._"

"Peace, I wish you have with you, Eustace."

**It's a rather rough translation, but I'm still working on developing that language. Kinador really means friend, bravery, and courage. But I think that Arran can see those qualities in Eustace, so the name 'Kinador' and the name 'Eustace' correspond in his mind.**

**And, before I forget, here are the translations of the other words and sentences in the Star's language:**

"_Da morna var na_!"

"Bring forth the hider!"

"_Du un berela, Rata-mere na mi!_"

"The blade to end Starlight!"

_"Du Fenaranor, du cal-I morna vorn fon_."

"The Dragon, I will call forth from you."

"_Denorla_ _ie brena_, Arran."

"Greeting to you, Arran."

"_Menla_ _aal_, Gavan, Zephyr."

"To you also, Gavan, Zephyr."

**I understand, weak, weak, weak! But it's still patchy. I'm no Tolkien, nor do I plan on creating a 'dead language' with vowels, nouns, etc. like he did. Just a few words so that I can have my little OC world of Stars talk in a language that separates them from their mortal Narnian counterparts.**

**If I was to go into detail about it, it would be (in my imagination) the language Aslan sung them into being with, so it uses basic words for quite a few meanings. The meaning of the word depends on the context of the situation, really. Like 'verda' can mean 'peace' or it can mean 'fear not.' It's the situation that makes the meaning different.**

**But besides that, I think Nithalazaar is one of my greatest OC villains I've created since I started into the Narnian world. I'd spent a lot of time developing his character, building a back story for him (which sadly won't be coming into this Cycle), than I did with Lord Verius in Star Crossed.**

**The only thing that gets to me is the fact that most people will see him as an elf! (Like my sister... She read this and she's like, "Oh, who's that, Thranduil?") Some people might think I'm taking elves and changing them. But the problem is I see something _totally_ different in my head when I talk about Stars than when I talk about Elves.**

**Sorry, pet peeve of mine...**

**But I'm moving on, I swear! Okay, what else is there?.. I actually don't have anything, surprisingly. So, I'm just going to write up the A/N for my dear friend the Guest Reviewer, and be off! Leave any questions in a review, if you please! **

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction**

**Well, now you have answers to your questions! (And yes, Nithalazaar had a hand in that.) And no, I have not read The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien. I've wanted to, but I've yet to obtain any copies, both new or used. Currently, though, I think its all right that I've not read the book, mainly because if I haven't, I can claim ignorance if something I write sounds like his writings.  
**

**That's one of my problems, sometimes I wish that I hadn't read the other books of his because it makes writing this a bit harder, wanting to use my ideas but hesitant to because people might think I'm using some of his, just changed a little. Whatever, right? I'll just have to work it out!**

**I hope you liked this chapter,**

**WH**


	35. Lost In The Dark, Found By Light

**Chapter Thirty-Five: Lost in the Dark, Found By Light**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Lucy ran out on deck, sliding Susan's quiver over her shoulder as she practically bounded down the stairs. Just as her feet touched amidships, the dragon wheeled out of the darkness, again breathing fire at the sea monster. The evil creature – Lucy thought she'd never seen something so purely evil besides Jadis – shrieked in pain as the heat and tongues of flame burnt it across the face. It dove beneath the water, and the dragon turned its head searching for it, waiting.

It took Lucy only a second before she realized that the dragon was a much larger, fiercer image of Eustace when he had been on Dragon Island. She gaped, stunned that he was somehow a dragon once more. For a second, the large flying beast stared at her, and then that second vanished as the sea monster sprung without warning from the water and caught one of the dragon's wings in its mouth.

Lucy was unaware that she screamed until Gavan grabbed her by the shoulders and told her to be calm. She stared up at the Star, trying to breathe in and out without shuddering. Both turned when the water erupted again and the dragon struggled from the water, the serpent not long in emerging behind it. The dragon – Lucy wasn't completely comfortable with calling him Eustace, not yet – clambered onto an outcropping of rocks, heaving for breath, smoke trailing from its nose and mouth.

The serpent rose from the water, peering into the dark. Its head bobbed when it caught sight of the dragon and with an eager shriek, lunged towards the rocks. Several of the archers on board fired their weapons, but the monster was moving rapidly, causing few of the shots to hit their mark. Lucy ran to the edge of the _Treader,_ grasping the rail until her fingers lost color, willing Eustace to fight back, to have victory over the serpent.

Suddenly, when all seemed lost, Eustace raised his head and turned it tiredly in the direction of the monster that rose before him. A loud, screaming roar rent the air before the flames of the dragon's fire burst forth. For a moment, everything was lit nearly as bright as day, shadows flickered against the crew and Caspian and Edmund, who stood staring at the sight before them.

Then the monster dived down under the water, trying to rid itself of the painful burns the dragon had administered to his flesh. It plunged and rose and plunged again. Suddenly, as everyone was watching, Rhoop pushed through the viewers. With strength that he did not seem capable of, he tore the seventh sword from Zephyr's hands and ran to the railing before anyone could stop him.

"Taste death, monster of the deep!" he cried, hurtling the sword into the air towards the serpent. But as the sword left his hand, Eustace rose from the rocks to battle the sea serpent again. The dragon's body blocked Rhoop's shot of the monster, so the sword instead found a mark in the dragon. Eustace shuddered when the sword plunged through his scales and thrust into his skin. His chest heaved as he struggled to breathe against the pain. He rose into the air, over the ship; no amount of screaming from those onboard the _Dawn_ _Treader_ could keep him there or turn him back.

"We're doomed, doomed!" Rhoop moaned, tugging at his hair and staring at the serpent writhing in pain from its burns beneath the water.

The Lord turned and pulled at people, screaming and yelling for them to turn the ship about. He began running to the stairs that led to the helm after knocking Edmund out of his way. Drinian ran from where he had been standing after the crazed Lord. Before the man could lay a hand upon the helm, Drinian knocked him cold. He had never been able to stand insanity on shipboard.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Now that Eustace was gone, everyone faced the possibility that the serpent would return to its first target: the ship. Before they could even plot the outline of a strategy, the monster emerged from the darkness and threw itself over the ship. The rail crunched under its weight. Crewmembers cried out as some were pinned beneath the slimy monster's body.

Caspian barely managed to grab Edmund before the serpent wrapped itself around the ship again. "Are you all right?" he asked breathlessly, searching the Just King's face.

"Fine, thanks," Edmund replied, glancing at the monster and the men going at it with swords. Caspian nodded before running back to his men, giving orders in a way that made Edmund wistful for the days when his every move had been watched, down to the slightest hand signal. He was no longer one of the leading kings of Narnia, but he could still give his assistance to the reigning one. With renewed fervor, Edmund began trying to cut through the Serpent's thick, slime-ridden hide.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"Arran, I know you're out there, in the dark somewhere; I could hear you calm that Dragon-boy! Why did you do it, _Aliaani_? I can feel the darkness in you; I can sense how you have warred with it for centuries!" Nithalazaar called out in Davanrata, his voice sounding deceptively inviting and understanding.

"I have seen what happens to those consumed by the Shadow, _Divanor_, both mortal and immortal, and I do not want that. I have fought what some of our kin consider my destiny for all these centuries because I am not a lover of the Deep Shadow. I am _not_ _like_ _you_," Arran answered, stepping from the darkness and into Nithalazaar's light, his own aura shining almost blindingly red.

"And yet, your light is dying. Why, _Aliaani_?" Nithalazaar smiled cynically, eyeing his opponent.

"I am not your friend; do not address me in the familiar!" Arran said with disgust, blue eyes icy with anger.

"Still you ignore the question." Nithalazaar tsked, seeming befuddled and pitying as he slowly moved toward the pirate's left.

Arran's eyes followed Nithalazaar; he turned his head slightly to keep him in sight, before he was forced to turn his entire body to face the broken Star. "I do not know why I am dying, _Divanor;_ I do know that I have been for years. I sometimes stand on the edge of night, longing to cross over, begging to cross, but something always pulls me back. I would have passed long before this, but my brothers, my father kept pulling me back. I now believe my light has wavered this long to bring you to an end; I shall push you into the darkness, and you shall not return!" Arran's voice rose, growing stronger as he spoke.

"But you _will_ die in the end, won't you?" Nithalazaar asked, curious. He had always been so, even now that he was broken. He had always wanted to know what those standing on the edge of Eternal Night felt before they crossed into it.

"There have been those of our people that have died. Many have passed into the infinite night without starlight; I am not afraid to pass, either. If I pass, then I pass; Aslan cannot bring me back. Even the Creator of the Deep Magic must abide by it." Arran stared into Nithalazaar's eyes unwaveringly.

Slowly, slowly, the broken Star nodded. "You have nothing left in this world, and so you think to step into Eternal Night would be a restful thing, to sleep for all eternity because you have nothing to keep your light lit. But you want to die a hero; you want to kill me." The Star smiled cunningly.

"I care not if I kill you; I only want to know I spent my light fighting the Shadows, and that it went out fighting against them. I want it to be said of me that I did not turn from my kin," Arran contradicted.

"So that I will remain – for all eternity – the sole Star to ever turn his back on the light of our people?" Nithalazaar scowled, his rage at the supposed insinuation building.

"No, so that others may know half-bloods are not all of Light entwined with Shadow; there are pure ones yet." Arran fell silent, finally relaxing and communicating with Nithalazaar through their minds, so they could fight without shouting spells at one another, something considered most indecent among Stars, even to the broken ones.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy gasped through the water that sprayed up around them. The sea serpent was so _long_, she thought despairingly. Its head was constantly appearing near the side of the _Dawn_ _Treader_, uttering shrieks and hisses that were ear-piercing and spraying everyone on board with water until they were drenched.

She ducked a dangling piece of rigging, trying not to slide down the deck as the serpent rocked the ship again. Breathless, she reached out and grasped the rail of the stairs leading to the helm. Wiping the water from her eyes, she turned to stare back at the monster. She frowned when she realized that the thing was _taunting_ them, bobbing its head out of the water, rocking their ship.

An idea came to her as she stared up at the thing's head. As she debated on whether or not to do it, Caspian ran by her. She turned, wondering what he was planning, only to see that Drinian was no longer standing at the helm; he had slumped against the outer wall of the cabin, a hand over a long, bloody cut in his sleeve. The king stopped near his friend before moving to the helm, trying to keep the ship from striking against anything and to keep it upright. If the monster rocked to the left, he turned the ship to the right.

"Edmund!" Lucy was jerked from her jumbled contemplation's by Caspian's cry. She whirled to look up at him, as did her brother not twenty feet away, giving orders to the crew and trying to force the monster's coiled body off their ship.

"Ed, we'll ram the serpent, smash it on the rocks!" Caspian couldn't take his hands from the helm, but he nodded in the direction of a large, rocky outcropping of land to the right. Lucy looked in the same direction, wondering what would happen if they were to do so, for if the monster moved as they struck the outcropping, the ship would be no more than fragmented lumber.

"Steer her to port; I'll keep it on the prow!" Edmund quickly agreed, running off through the men and broken rails and rigging. Lucy watched him go with apprehension; she did not like the danger of her brother's idea. It was then that she decided to follow through with her own plan. She ran up the stairs; she'd need to be standing higher than the deck if she was to have any hope of hitting her mark.

As she pulled an arrow from Susan's quiver, nocked it onto the string, and took aim, she kept glancing at Edmund, praying Aslan would continue to protect him as she knew the great lion had done since her brother had first entered Narnia.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Edmund knew it would be something of a complication to keep the serpent on the prow without getting injured, thrown overboard, or killed, but it was a risk he was willing to take to protect all the people on this ship who were more deserving of life and second chances than he. When he came to the ladder that led up into the dragon's mouth at the prow of the _Dawn_ _Treader_, a hand covered his as he reached up to grasp the first rung. Turning, he found himself staring into Serene's green eyes.

"Each battle met, each war entered leaves us better prepared to face a greater challenge. You cannot blame yourself for a path Aslan wished you tread, my love," she declared softly, bringing her hand up to the side of his face briefly before stepping away. He stared after her for a moment before turning and pulling himself up the rungs to the open maw of the dragon figurehead, her words echoing in his mind.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Eustace climbed higher into the darkness, momentarily closing his eyes as he flew higher than the island's darkness and warm sunlight washed over him, before uttering a groan of pain as he felt the sword's mark again. He could sense he was dying; unless something happened, he would be dead, and his friends would be helpless. He could see Ramandu's Island in the distance and wondered if he could fly the distance with the sword in his side, paining him every downward stroke of his wings.

He realized he would never be able to make that distance as he started gliding closer to the water. He searched the great blue expanse anxiously, hoping for a place to land. Before the next wave of agony passed over him, he noticed a small islet not far away from Dark Island. Sighing, closing his eyes, and giving into the biting pain, he stopped struggling and fell towards it.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Edmund climbed into the dragon head, and as he slid down into its mouth, pulled his torch from his belt. He found it slightly amusing - in a twisted way - how valuable this light had become to his Narnian adventures. He'd used it as a signal, and now he was using it to attract the attention of a monster that just might kill him. Resolving himself and exhaling to steady his nerves and erratically beating heart – a futile attempt – he stood up, pulling Rhindon from its sheath and pointing his light out into the darkness until it played upon the sea serpent's eyes and head.

"Come on, try and kill me!" he taunted when the monster pulled away from terrorizing the crew to rid itself of the aggravating light shining in its eyes. "Come on, I'm right here!" he shouted, motioning to himself with his sword.

Rearing back, the serpent shrieked, diving without warning for the figurehead, fleshy, slime-ridden mouth open wide, rows of jagged teeth illuminated by the torch Edmund held in a garish display of ferocity. Edmund realized that the monster would try and attack him and pulled back into the figurehead as the serpent bit down on it, splintering the wood. He ignored the cries of Caspian and Lucy as the serpent reared back to view its handiwork, and her stood once again on the now ruined prow. The monster uttered a fiendish shriek of surprise as he climbed from the precarious perch and onto the dragon's head.

Lucy watched her brother, at first too shocked to see him alive to realize that the monster was leaning towards him. Abruptly she was brought to the stark reality of the situation when she noticed that the serpent was trying to grab her brother again.

"Still here!" As Edmund shouted those words defiantly in the serpent's face, Lucy loosed the arrow she had strung minutes ago as her brother climbed up the figurehead to steadier footing. She did not doubt her shot and had faith in the accuracy of the bow Aslan had made for Susan, given her by Father Christmas. As the man had said the day Susan had been given the weapon, it did not miss its mark. The sea serpent screeched as the arrow struck its eye.

And then everything began happening at once. Caspian shouted, the monster made one final attempt at grabbing Edmund, Serene was knocked from the ship as it collided with the rock, and Lucy, unsteady on her feet, fell down the stairs as the serpent began to unravel itself from the mast. She looked up and screamed as the beast's tail pushed her across the deck and through the broken section of railing into the water.

Edmund turned sharply when he heard his sister's cry, which was his mistake. He removed his hand from the dragon figurehead's wooden horns to find his sister in the chaos below as the _Treader_ made impact with the rocks. He tottered there, nearly righted himself, and then fell. The wind was knocked from him as he landed on the serpent's writhing body before falling hard on his stomach to the deck. He gasped for a breath, turning over onto his side as the serpent dove into the water, leaving the _Dawn_ _Treader_ no longer encumbered and free.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Eustace let out a shuddering breath, closing his eyes for a longer and longer period of time before opening them to stare at the island swathed in darkness. As he inhaled, he forced himself to look at the island, if only once more.

_"I guess this is what dying feels like,"_ he mused to himself. His mind was starting to cloud, and he couldn't seem to muster the energy it took to order his thoughts in a reasonable manner. With a resigned sigh, he opened his eyes to find he was not alone.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy gasped, trying to grasp the wet rock for the fourth time, struggling to breathe as another wave from the still-rocking ship rolled over her and broke against the rocks. Finally, she managed to pull herself up. Taking in lungful's of air and pushing back the loose wet strands of hair from her face, she turned to watch the _Treader_ make a valiant attempt to remain upright as the serpent writhed and plunged beneath the waves in anger.

She slowly stood, her legs shaking, to find some way to a better protected ledge or a bit of shoreline that was not in reach of the raging serpent in the water. As she precariously jumped onto another nearby rock, a cry of pain assailed her ears, coming from farther down the shore. Lucy hesitantly clambered over the rock and stones, trying not to slip back into the surf, to discover the source of the noise.

And there was Arran, standing in front of Nithalazaar, watching the broken Star moan and cringe as he was afflicted with some invisible pain. As Nithalazaar groaned, Lucy heard the serpent utter a strange shriek-like gasp behind her. It was then that she realized how much of Nithalazaar was in his magic. The thought scared her, wondering how much darkness must be in his heart to make him so hateful and ready to kill.

As Nithalazaar regained control, the serpent once again chased after the _Dawn Treader_ and began its attack anew. Lucy turned to look back at the Stars standing on the rocky shore. Suddenly both turned to stare into the darkness, and as Nithalazaar whispered something under his breath, Arran dove towards him, trying to stop whatever he was doing. Serene struggled from the shadows, stumbling as green mist chased after her in whorls and tendrils, whispering in a way Lucy found chilling.

She held back a cry when the mist somehow grabbed Serene and seemed to be growing stronger with every enchantment she shouted at it. Nithalazaar pushed Arran away roughly and walked rapidly toward Serene, his lips moving in an unintelligible spell. Lucy covered her mouth with her hand as tears burned at the corners of her eyes when the enchantress collapsed onto the ground, her face and arms paling to a white color Lucy had never seen before on a living human being.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Eustace struggled with the last of his strength to stand before the lion. Even though he was dying, he wanted to show some manner of respect to whom he had recently learnt was the King of all kings. The lion stared into Eustace's wide, blue and gold dragon eyes.

The dragon-boy had never seen eyes so full of compassion, pity, and sorrow. He felt he might cry if he stared into them much longer, but another part of him felt he could stare into those golden depths for an eternity and know nothing but peace. They regarded one another with an understanding, the lion and the dragon, as Eustace's eyes slowly closed.

He could see the world fading just a bit around the edges; as he felt himself fall adrift into the soothing darkness, he reached out with his mind to Aslan.

"_Thank you for all you have done for me, though I cannot fathom it; I thank you for what you have let me experience. Please, my friends have trusted you longer, seen you, and known you far greater a time than I. Rescue them from that vile thing that dares call himself a Star; save them, because they have always believed you would. I do not deserve to be saved from what is coming to me." _

As he closed his eyes, a roar echoed around him, on and on, and suddenly his vision was filled with light. Light was all around him, warming him, enclosing him in love, peace, hope and rest. He opened his eyes, reached out, and touched it, only to find that it was thick and of substance, like water. As he stood or lay there, he could not tell which, a voice seemed to come to him as if in a dream. Lovingly it whispered to him.

_"For ones such as you, Eustace, my salvation was meant for. Those who understand what they have done, that they cannot possibly attain my love after what has been in their hearts, what they have committed against me. For you have I died, for you have I suffered, because I wish no ill towards my family. You I will save, because you know what you have done and do not hide it from me. Son of Adam, take the sword and lay it at my table. Do not stop; do not listen to anything that might hope to sway you from your path. I give you life, son of Adam!"_

As the voice faded into the powerful roar, Eustace thought it almost sounded as if the speaker of the voice was smiling. Slowly, the light dimmed to simple mid-day light around him. He fell to the ground, landing on some dead leaves. He raised his head when he heard a clang beside him of metal falling on stone. Jerking to his knees unsteadily, checking to see if he still had the wound in his side, he looked around.

There was the sword. All thought passed from his mind as he grabbed it, thinking one thing: lay the sword on Aslan's Table.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Edmund gasped, wiping the water from his face and brushing back his drenched hair from his eyes. Beside him, Caspian stood, staring at the serpent as it loomed up from the darkness. Suddenly a strange noise assailed their ears, and the serpent began to change. Edmund stared into the monster's eyes, and the monster stared back, hissing and uttering a strange gurgling noise. Caspian looked from Edmund to the monster and realized that his friend was not going to step from its path.

"Edmund, _move_!" Caspian grabbed his arm and jerked him to the side as the beast lunged. Edmund might have had no qualms about sacrificing himself, but Caspian was certain Susan and Lucy would never forgive him if he had let Edmund do such a thing.

They fell to the deck as the serpent's body rocked the ship. Caspian had had enough of this; he was tired of fighting battles when talking would suffice, and he was losing his temper because of Edmund's self-sacrifice attempt. Without putting much thought into it, Caspian pushed his hand along the deck, feeling for something, _anything_, to hit this damned creature before him with. His hand found the hilt of a sword and he grasped it tightly. Pulling his arm forward, he took one swift stroke to a leg or feeler, whatever these thousands of tiny appendages were, and chopped it off.

As the monster recoiled, squealing with pain, the limb cut from it began to dissolve into a sickly green mist and fade away. His eyes widened, feeling an almost delirious excitement build up inside himself at the sight.

"We can beat this." His realization caused Edmund to turn back to him.

"Yes," he agreed. He turned to look at the vile creature as it started chewing at the sail. "But we'll need to get it closer." His eyes asked Caspian what his voice did not; could he do something about that while Edmund risked his life?

Caspian only nodded before jumping to his feet. "Ready the harpoons!" he shouted, a call that Drinian echoed from his place near the helm. Edmund ran from where he had been standing and grabbed a torn ratline to climb to the lookout's post atop the mast; something told him the monster would come up to meet him if only Caspian and his men could position its head.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Gavan and Zephyr met as the serpent began changing form. The brothers did not speak, because both knew what the other was thinking. Arran, where had he gone? Gavan glanced back at the serpent. "Lucy's gone as well; I think she might have been pushed overboard when we struck the serpent against the rocks," he told his brother, an apprehensive light in his eyes for her safety as well as his brother's.

"Arran communicated with me briefly, he's fighting Nithalazaar, and he says that Serene has been injured. Gavan, you know how he is, we must find him before Nithalazaar takes what light he has left," Zephyr admitted to his brother, finally conceding that they could not stay with their mortal friends any longer.

"You're right. I don't believe they have need of us anymore, however; they have finally realized how this beast can be beaten," Gavan remarked with a smile, turning to stare up at Edmund who had begun climbing to the lookout.

"Come, then!" Zephyr urged, whispering spells under his breath.

Gavan followed suit.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"You cannot defeat me! The witch's magic was stronger than I'd imagined; I don't feel the pain of that hideous serpent every time they beat against it with their useless sticks of metal," Nithalazaar remarked, uttering a spell directed at Arran as he spoke. The pirate barely dodged the flames that followed Nithalazaar's words. Arran closed his eyes briefly before moving back into the open.

"Perhaps not, but I know of one who can." Arran had felt Lucy's presence long ago and realized that if she somehow found the courage inside herself, she could easily bring this sorcerer to his knees. But she would need a reason to fight; fear was not enough of a motive; Arran was certain of this.

"There is no person or being on that vessel who equals my powers; I did not feel one!" Nithalazaar contradicted, sending another flash of light Arran's way.

"Your heart is so black; your light so fragmented; it is no wonder you cannot sense the power I speak of! But I thought you might nevertheless; still, it gives me hope you have not; it means the bearer of this power will remain undetected by you until they see fit to reveal themselves." Arran smiled, knowing that would bother the broken Star to no end.

"You're lying! I know you, Arran; you lie to please yourself, and I will not believe such falsehoods!" Nithalazaar shouted spells in rapid succession. Arran ducked back behind a rock as the spells became weapons or fire. Nithalazaar gritted his teeth and followed after Arran. As he did so, he slowly pulled the dagger he'd stolen from Eustace out of his inner robe. The long, slim blade glinted unnaturally in his light.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Eustace ran through the ruins in the daylight, aware of the possibility that the mist could try to stop him; Nithalazaar was not one to give up so easily. He held the sword in both hands; it had always surprised him how heavy the weapons were since his cousin and Caspian could hold them and brandish them high as if they weighed naught more than a good-sized stick.

He paused, trying to catch his breath, as he arrived at the last bridge before the table. Briefly, he wondered where Ramandu was, but he knew he didn't have time to shout aloud for the resting Star; he had to lay this sword at the table with the others to save his friends. Gasping and stumbling on legs shaky from his sprint and near-death experience as a dragon, he arrived at the table. Instantly, the blade in his hand seemed to shine a blinding blue color. He slowly stretched out his arm, nearly dropping the blade because of its weight, to place it with the others that had started clattering on the table.

As he did, he heard whispers echoing behind him. He knew what that was, so he forced himself to move closer to the table, but as he did so, something pulled him back. He swung the sword wildly into the green mist, trying to keep it from taking the weapon from him. It hissed viciously before enveloping him.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Edmund pulled hard against the rope to keep from plummeting to the deck as the serpent shook violently against the ship to rid itself of the harpoons Caspian and the crew had embedded into its flesh. Pulling himself into the lookout, he turned to the monster, only to be knocked off his feet again by a sudden rocking of the ship. Trying to ignore the throbbing pain that was starting in his shoulder, he stood.

_"Edmund, Edmund…" _

He stiffened upon hearing the whisper before turning his head slightly to the left to see what was calling him. And there she was; would he never be rid of her nightmare? He stared at her, the whimsical, mist-green form that was telling him that he could always be something better beside her. But this time, it was different, this time; he was not going to take her advice.

As he turned away, she whispered again, "_What are you trying to prove? That you're a good man, a good king even after all you have done?" _Her voice was compassionate, understanding. Edmund hesitated.

_"I can give you all you long for. You want to be king; I could make you that; I could end this and make you so much more than you are; just take my hand." _He stared at the outstretched arm, at her long, tapered fingers beckoning gently, her eyes beseeching and earnest. Somewhere in the fog that clouded his mind, he heard Caspian shouting for him to do something; he couldn't remember what, try as he might. All he could do was stare at _Her_.

Below him, men cried out; he could hear wood being smashed and broken; nearby the monster screamed. He wanted more than anything to be out of this nightmare that he had caused, should he take her hand?

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Eustace gasped for a breath, fighting off hazy images without really looking. Aslan had given him a responsibility, a vital one, and he was not about to forsake it. He jumped to his feet and thrust the sword across the table as the mist dragged him down. _"For my friends, for my family, for Aslan, and for Narnia!" _ he thought viciously, watching the swords become brighter than sunlight. And then his world went black as the mist threw him against a stone pillar.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

_"Oh, Edmund… Just give in," _Jadis stared at him with impossibly green eyes. But that was where the mist had lost. Green eyes belonged to his Serene, not this figure before him. As he looked at the Witch's outstretched hand, his sword shone blue from the end of the hilt to the point of the blade. Edmund glanced up at Jadis, who was staring from him to the sword anxiously.

"Liar." He turned back to the serpent, everything becoming clear around him.

"Edmund, _do it_!" Caspian's voice begged him from the darkened deck below.

"I'm here!" he shouted to the monster, facing his nightmare head-on. "I'm right here, Nithalazaar; come kill me!" The monster stopped struggling, a crazed light coming into its dull eyes. As the beast moved to devour him, Edmund plunged Rhindon into its flesh, relishing for the first time in years the sound of death cries.

_"No!" t_he mist wailed, turning from Jadis's form into a shrieking, wailing mass that vanished as he plunged the blade deeper into the sea serpent before removing it with a satisfied jerk. On the deck below, Caspian and the crew released the ropes that had been attached to the harpoons to keep the monster close to the ship.

Edmund steadied his breathing as he watched the serpent slowly sink to the bottom. But as the crew and kings watched the monster screech its final cry, a blinding light filled the darkness, a flash that was powerful and then vanished in an instant. Everyone turned to the shore where Nithalazaar had stood.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy forced herself to keep from screaming when she saw the long dagger Nithalazaar held as he followed Arran. When Arran stepped from behind a boulder, back into Nithalazaar's ill light, an overwhelming sense of foreboding filled her, and it was all she could do to keep her tears from falling.

Arran jerked when he heard the serpent cry out in death, and for a moment Nithalazaar looked greatly pained, but it passed. "You may have laid that sword at Aslan's Table, but I am stronger now, thanks to your Witch; I will not be so easily defeated. But you, Arran, you will die like you truly deserve!"

With more swiftness than Lucy had ever seen possessed by any being, Nithalazaar leapt at Arran and plunged the dagger into his chest, pulling back without the weapon in his hand. Arran groaned, wrapping his fingers around the hilt, his hair paling to an unbelievable white more rapidly than in Narrowhaven. As he fell to the ground, Gavan and Zephyr ran from the shadows.

They shouted when they saw their brother, in more disbelief that fear, but before they could even start toward him, light surrounded the Star, and Lucy couldn't stare at the place he had fallen. The only thing she could hear was a song sung in a cold, high language and Nithalazaar's chilling laugh. And then, she felt something change inside of her.

"Aslan?" she gasped, opening her tear-filled eyes and looking at the rock surrounding her. Suddenly the words swirled around her, and she felt warmth, the kind she felt when she sensed Aslan or was near the great lion's side.

_"You could bring the most powerful of sorcerers' to their knees with the magic you hold." _

_"You have great power, power which can hold sway over the darkest force; do not forget."_

_"Do not take anything at what it appears to be, for the inside often as not bear's the greater worth."_

_ "Well, putting it bluntly, we've been waiting ever so long for a girl like yourself, see. A girl from foreign parts with magic in her voice, that's you Missy." _

The words suddenly made sense. They had not been praising her; Gavan had not been trying to flatter her; Arran had been honest – he wasn't lying when he had said those words – she realized that the Dufflepuds had been talking about her magic because they thought she knew it, too. But she had never really understood until now. She had magic, but not like Serene or the Stars. She realized that hers was her faith in Aslan. It was her belief.

As these realizations hit her, she remembered something else Arran had told her. _"Perhaps one day, you will need to use your power, and when that day comes, I pray I fight on your side." _

Tears stung her eyes as she remembered his death, his face as Nithalazaar thrust that dagger into his heart, and she felt braver and fiercer than she had ever felt. Aslan was with her; why should she fear a coward who only understood pain? If he could not understand Aslan and his ways, then she must stop him from spreading his darkness to others who were unsure of where the lines had been marked. With resolve and Aslan's words echoing in her mind, she stood and slowly climbed down the boulders to face Nithalazaar, who was now moving toward Zephyr and Gavan.

"Nithalazaar, why must you do this?" she asked, her voice barely wavering as she stood on the rocky shore. The broken Star whirled to face her, and for the first time his eyes held fear.

"Who are you, some useless little girl that thinks she possesses a gift from Aslan?" Nithalazaar mocked, slowly walking toward her, masking his unease.

"I don't think; I know. Aslan is not a demon; he is not some foul monster determined to crush your spirit and bend you to his will. He loves you, as he loves all his family; why can't you see it?"

"Aslan does not know me! He does not care for my pain and suffering; if he did, why then has he abandoned me to this pain; why did he not try to save me from it?" Nithalazaar raged, spreading his arms wide to encompass the whole of Dark Island.

"I don't know, perhaps –" the thought suddenly struck Lucy, and she said slowly, sympathetically. "Perhaps because you didn't really want him to, because you were content in your darkness. Aslan will not force something onto anyone. You can only believe – or not." Lucy quoted Liliandil's words, truly understanding them. "If you have no hope that he will bring you from this, then you have not faith, and if you no faith, what then can you believe but the doubts and uncertainty inside your soul?"

Nithalazaar gasped, turning away from her. "You speak a lie, like the lion himself!" the broken Star fought weakly, backing away from her, unable to stare into her eyes or deny her words.

"I only speak truth; I have never been able to bear the suffering of Narnians, and I cannot stand to see you so lost, Nithalazaar." Lucy smiled sadly, remembering Arran as she took a step closer to the Star. Arran had tried to help Nithalazaar as well; instead of killing him, he had tried to reason.

The scream the Star uttered was full of agony; he shouted a spell, but whatever power Aslan had given her prevented it from hitting its mark. "Please, let Aslan save you; your light has not gone out yet; ask forgiveness while there is time for it," Lucy pleaded, wishing she could rest her hand on Nithalazaar's shoulder or give him some small comfort.

"I will _not_!" As Nithalazaar straightened and turned to face her, he shouted words Lucy could not understand, unleashing something evil that he had been holding back before. Lucy pulled her hands up reflexively to shield herself, and light poured from her, swarming toward Nithalazaar in a wave of white. When nothing hit her, Lucy slowly lowered her hands.

All around her was light, glorious, golden light, Aslan's light! She smiled, raising her hands as if to touch it and was surprised to find that it was of substance, and her hands passed through it like water or thick down. But as she looked around, her eyes caught sight of something. It was a different light, but it was weak, ill, fading. A strange green emanated from within it. Lucy walked closer to it, trying to discern what it was.

All her trepidation vanished when she saw Nithalazaar's face, his eyes closed as if in sleep. She knelt beside him, wondering what she could do. How she wished she knew something that could save him; there was still a chance for him; he was not gone yet! Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder; turning, she looked up at something that seemed to shine of its own light yet also reflect the light around it.

Slowly, the figure knelt beside her, the outline darkening into a definable figure. Silver robes and silver sleeves pooling in ripples of fabric around him. Long blonde hair, longer than she remembered, fell over his shoulders as he reached out and rested his hand on Nithalazaar's arms crossed over his chest. Lucy placed her hands over his.

"_Celmenorath, Avenillian. Brentla inilon-ni calan_" Arran whispered the words, and they seemed to fill the air around them, to take substance and swell. Lucy glanced at the Star beside her and the one before her and prayed that Aslan would heal them both. Light filled her vision, and she couldn't think about anything else but the golden, pure light.

* * *

**A/N:**

**OK, well, this is really painful. Only two chapters left, you guys. I really don't have much to say, I've just got a bunch of emotions running around right now; it's really bittersweet finishing a story; I bet this is how it feels to finish a movie for actors and directors. Slight relief mixed with quite a bit of sadness.**

**Now it's time to go back to the real world for awhile; it's a little scary and sad, because I'll never come back to this story in this way. I might read over it, I'll revise it, check for errors, but I'll never be in this place again with this story. **

**Ah, music to listen to on replay while reading chapter 36: Marcs Warner - Africa[C21FX - Beautiful Inspirational Uplifting] It just really fits the chapter, I listened to it as I wrote. Just something to think about. **

* * *

**But I must give thanks to Jesus girl 4ever, because she has really helped with this story, even though I dragged her into it a bit late, she was still willing to help me fix it! I can't possibly tell her how much this means to me. (I say that a little too much, don't I?) **

* * *

**So, ummm... I really _do not_ have anything to say. Except that the quotes Lucy remembers are from this story's previous chapters. The first one is Gavan's, the second one is Arran's, the third one is Coriakin's, and the fourth one is the Dufflepuds'. (But I think I covered that already.)**

"_Celmenorath, Avenillian. Brentla inilon-ni calan_"

"Come back to the Light, fallen one. Return to us, all is not lost, there is still time for forgiveness."

**By the way, I just wanted to mention that the longer a sentence would be in our language, the longer a single word will become in Davanrata. So _"Celmenorath" means "Come back to the light" _It's all one word. Or I should say, parts of many words that make the sentence. **

**I'm working on it! I'm no Tolkien, remember! :) Though I _would_ like to talk to him about this subject...**

Divanor: lonely friend, lonely one, etc.

**(Already covered Aliaani)**

**Well, that's about it, I should think!**

**Btw, the name for this chapter is because Nithalazaar was lost to darkness, but Lucy (light) found him. "Light" is literally the meaning of Lucy. **

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**Well, I searched the word Phantasms versus Phantom, and found that their basically the same thing. In fact, Phantasm is more correct for the things I created. But thanks for pointing it out! Yeah, I can see what you mean about the Arran and Edmund scene, I thought that entire segment, along with the Arran and Caspian scene was a bit patchy.**

**Yes, the rest of the story is typed! I'm sad but thrilled! I can't believe how far I've come! I hope you enjoy this chapter, btw, what did you think of Arran?**


	36. Smooth Seas & Sorrowful Farewells

**Chapter Thirty-Six: Smooth Seas &amp; Sorrowful Farewells**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Edmund stared from his viewpoint at the light; he thought it would blind him at first, but he found momentarily that he could stare at it and see better than ever. Looking into it, he felt Aslan, somehow. If it was possible, the light seemed to grow ever brighter, enveloping everything around it. That was when Edmund realized things were changing around them. The shadows began slipping from the island; the darkness faded and let the sunlight through. Edmund smiled; somehow, he knew this was Lucy.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Susan flung open the cabin door when she noticed the light streaming in through the windows. Gael peeked around her side, and she held Rilian in her arms as she watched the light fill the darkness and the blue sky begin to shine through the grey clouds. Caspian noticed her standing there, amidst the splintered wood with a look of complete awe on her face, and turned from staring at the island to join her.

When he reached her side, she looked up at him with a smile. "I don't know how I know, but something tells me this is because of Lucy." Caspian smiled and drew Susan close, relieved that they were alive and that they had done what they'd set out to do, even when the odds seemed impossible.

Gael ran past the couple and started shouting for her father. Rhince ran out from among the sailors, arms opened wide. The little girl threw herself into his arms energetically while the man laughed, smiled, and cried, stroking a shaking hand down her dark head over and over.

"Look, there, in the mist!" A sailor shouted, pointing into a soft grey mist that seemed to rise up on their right, blocking any view of the island or what might be left of it.

"Narnians!

"It's the Narnians!"

Slowly, the mist faded, and a beautiful island became visible, crystal blue water reflecting in the sunlight, foliage emerald green. And there, in several dozen boats, were the missing Narnians. When they saw the ship, they cheered and shouted, waving their hands in the air and laughing.

"Mummy!" Gael jumped from her father's embrace when she saw one woman staring carefully at the ship, a smile across her face.

"Helaine!" Rhince dashed after his daughter to the rail, and they jumped into the sapphire blue water without second thought to join the woman in the boat.

"Drinian, let's clear these decks and get them aboard!" Caspian said with a smile, watching Rhince and Gael as they began swimming to the side of the boat. But as they did, something popped up from the water. And then the boats were gliding gently toward the _Dawn_ _Treader_. Susan recognized the actions before anyone else, and smiled when several mermaids jumped into the air, spinning and twirling before diving back into the water, long hair streaming behind them and reflecting the sun.

One swam up to Gael and draped a necklace of shells around her shoulders before lifting her with strength only natural to immortal beings into the boat beside her mother. Rhince kindly declined their offer and pulled himself into the boat while the mermaids watched; they were smiling at all the happy Narnians before they dove back toward the shore.

"Where are Lucy and the Stars?" Edmund asked, coming up to Caspian and Susan after climbing down from the lookout.

"I don't know, but that light –?" Caspian met Edmund's concerned gaze.

"Edmund, Susan, Caspian!" Excited shouts interrupted their thoughts. When they turned to stare at Dark Island – though they supposed it should be called Divandandia once again – they saw a sight that made them smile.

Lucy ran up to the edge of the water, waving her hand and smiling. Behind her, they could see the Stars. "Come on, let's get to shore after we help these people aboard," Edmund encouraged, moving forward to aid the sailors in helping people up over the side of the ship.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Lucy blinked as the light slowly withdrew from around her. She looked down and noticed that Nithalazaar's face seemed different, peaceful, but besides that, the light that emanated from him was pure; there was no longer that ill-looking green color swirling around him. It was pure, silver, and bright now. Lucy turned her head to look at Arran. She was again struck by how different – changed – he appeared.

He wore a long robe of silver that brushed the ground, and he no longer seemed so mortal; there was an otherworldly quality about him that she had felt when looking upon Ramandu and Liliandil. His blonde hair was long and smooth now; not a single dreadlock or braid could be seen, and she wondered, would it feel like silk if she touched it? He smiled at her when he noticed she was staring.

"I'm still Arran, Lucy." His eyes twinkled with amusement before he stood and then offered his hand to help her up. She accepted it blithely.

Before she could ask him any questions, however, Nithalazaar groaned on the ground behind them. Arran subconsciously pushed Lucy a little to his right and stood slightly in front of her, unsure if they had truly healed the sickness in the once-broken Star. Nithalazaar shook his head, as if trying to clear it, before looking up. As he stared into Arran's blue eyes with his own, a look of horror entered them, and he rose slowly, nearly stumbling because he refused to take his eyes from Arran.

"How does it feel to be healed, _Aliaani_?" Arran asked softly, stretching out his hand and resting it gently on the other Star's shoulder.

"Thank you, _Elunar;_ I could not expect such kindness after what I have done," Nithalazaar whispered as he fell back to the ground, lightly clutching the hem of Arran's robes.

"Don't call me that. I did nothing; it was the Queen Lucy who healed you; I naught but supplied the words for her," Arran declined the praise and pulled away, instead motioning to Lucy by his side to be the object of Nithalazaar's gratefulness. "For she also saved my light." Arran turned to stare into Lucy's eyes, the breeze blowing some of his long hair away from his face as he smiled at her and nodded his head slightly.

"But I did nothing; I only acted on Aslan's power!" Lucy tried to refute their claims, suddenly feeling awkward with receiving so much praise from beings supposedly greater than her.

"No, Lucy. That light, that power, it was yours. Faith and belief in something stronger than yourself is the most powerful magic of all worlds. This power of faith you carry, Lucy, it is more than I can fathom. No evil can stand against it; no darkness can blot it out. I wish you never lose it, Daughter of Eve." And suddenly, Arran didn't seem like Arran any longer. Lucy realized the price he had paid to die for Aslan's side, and suddenly she felt anguish for him.

"My magic changed you, didn't it?" she asked softly, finally looking up at him.

"I don't believe it was completely your magic that changed me, but Aslan. Lucy, you brought me back from the edge of Night, but Aslan gave me new life. I would still have slowly died if it had been just your power alone. Now that I am a Star, fully and completely, I see that this is something only Aslan could do. Do not feel pain, Lucy. It is my path to tread, not yours." Arran did something that no full Star would do; he hugged her close as her tears fell. He had understood human pain, human loss, which made him different from any full-blooded Star in the heavens.

"T-the enchantress, I did not kill her, did I?" Nithalazaar hesitantly asked once the two had parted from the embrace. Lucy turned to look at Arran, worried that she had saved these two but not Serene.

"No, for she does not truly live in this world!" Gavan's voice called out, the wind echoing it down to meet them.

They group of three turned to behold another small group standing on a rise some distance away. Lucy finally took in the fact that the island had changed around them; gone were the ugly boulders and gravelly shore. Now they were replaced with reefs that glistened as the waves crashed cheerfully against them and sandy beaches that swept down to the ocean in a golden path.

Slowly Zephyr and Gavan, with Serene between them, walked down the slope, when they finally stood together, there was silence for a moment. But as quickly as it had fallen over them, it vanished, and Gavan was hugging Arran, Zephyr's eyes shone with unshed tears as he talked with his brother, and Nithalazaar was apologizing to Serene, earning a smile and words of forgiveness from her.

Gavan turned to Lucy, and, before giving her much time to consider the matter, pulled her close and kissed her. At first she was surprised he would do that but let all those apprehensive thoughts fade as she returned the kiss. "I was so worried I might lose you as well as Arran for a moment. I see I should keep such matters to myself, for Aslan will be watching over you always," he said once they parted, smiling.

"I'm so glad you're all right, too! I didn't know what would happen, and I was concerned that Nithalazaar had done something before the light, and..." Lucy left off struggling to explain, because she knew that Gavan understood.

"Oh, Edmund and Caspian and the others! What happened; did they defeat the serpent?" Lucy asked, looking to Serene and Zephyr.

"We, we don't know," Zephyr began before they heard the cheers and shouts coming from the shore. Everyone looked at each other and then turned and sprinted down the beach. Though, Arran and Nithalazaar walked at a much slower pace, talking in hushed Davanrata to one another. As the _Dawn_ _Treader_ came into view, so did the boats full of Narnians, and all the magic of Divandandia could be seen.

Lucy gasped in wonder, staring at the beautiful mermaids and the water, the foliage, the animals, even the strange mists rising in a multitude of colors from the island. Turning to look back at the ship, she began waving excitedly when she saw her brother, sister, and Caspian.

"Edmund, Susan, Caspian, we're over here!" she shouted eagerly, smiling happily at seeing them all safe.

They watched as the Narnians were taken from the boats and brought aboard. As soon as the final white boat had been emptied of its last passenger, the mermaids suddenly revealed themselves again and pushed the boats away through the water. Then the _Dawn_ _Treader_ turned towards the shore. The water was deep nearly right up to the island, so the ship was hauled-to and anchored almost six feet from the golden sand.

As Caspian, Edmund, Susan and Drinian, among the many Narnians leaving the ship to go to shore, began walking through the water, Serene whispered something to Nithalazaar. The Star nodded, bowed his head slightly, and whispered something under his breath. Caspian and Edmund, who had been walking through the knee-deep water after climbing down the _Treader's_ side, turned around when they heard the creaking of timbers.

Those on shore gasped before falling silent and watching as the Star repaired the damage he had caused the vessel. Edmund glanced at Caspian with a smile as they stared up at the ship, watching the repairs being done in almost a fraction of the time it would have taken. Magic was dangerous, there was no denying it, but it was also a blessing, one Edmund felt certain he would miss. Shaking his head, Caspian turned back to the shore. Once there, they began talking of the battle, wondering with concern what had happened to Eustace.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"We must go back and find him; I'd never forgive myself if he died trying to save us," Edmund said after a time, looking out to sea impatiently as they talked over the possibilities of Eustace's survival.

What they did not know was that Eustace had decided to swim all the way back to Divandandia, eager to find his friends once he noticed the darkness had faded. It had taken him the better part of two hours, but he reached the shore as Caspian was debating what to do about the Narnians they'd found. His clothes soaked, torn in a few places from his fight with the mist, Eustace began stumbling up the beach through the water, falling every so often.

"Stop worrying; it's all right; here I am!" he shouted excitedly, trying to run but only falling back into the waist-high surf as it pounded against his back lightly, a gentle swell rolling towards the shore.

Reepicheep shouted excitedly from the ship, having been helping the sailors put the smaller things back in order that Nithalazaar hadn't been able to do. "Oh, Eustace, I see your wings have at last been clipped!" With an energetic spring belying his years, the Mouse jumped from the ship and into the blue water.

He swam up to the boy as he flopped backward into the water. Caspian, Lucy, Edmund, the Stars, and Susan began splashing through the waves to get to the boy as well, smiling and laughing, saying how glad they were that he was alive.

"Where sky and water meet; where the waves grow ever-sweet!" Reep sang before diving a bit under the water. "What, it is sweet!" The Mouse nearly forgot to keep himself afloat in shock, taking another sip of the water.

Caspian glanced at Susan, cupping his hands together and drinking some of the liquid himself. His arms dropped to his side as he swallowed, staring at the ocean spreading before him. He simply could not believe it. Edmund laughed after drinking a handful as well, abruptly pushing Eustace down into the water.

"Wh-what was that for?" the boy sputtered with mild annoyance, smiling at his cousin.

"You need a bath!" Edmund laughed, taking a step backward, only to lose his balance and fall into the water.

"Apparently you do too, Edmund!" Arran grinned, blonde hair falling over his shoulders in the breeze. Gavan and Zephyr did not hide their laughter, doubling over while the wind ruffled their hair and echoed the joyful sounds of happiness on and on.

Susan, standing in a shallower section of water, bent down and let Rilian splash his hands in the refreshing liquid, smiling as he laughed. When she noticed Caspian watching her, she straightened slightly and smiled at him meaningfully. He had done what he thought he could not. He had brought friends and family to the World's End, and they were safe, whole, and happy. The king shook his head, turning to watch Narnians and family alike cavort about in the water.

He allowed his gaze to wander over everyone, from Arran standing not far away, appearing more like one of his people than ever before, to Gavan and Zephyr, who were chasing one another through the water, using their magic for some game unknown to him, to Edmund and Lucy, who were splashing one another, and Eustace. Slowly, his eyes drifted towards the sun, and what he saw caused him to walk out farther into the water, past Edmund and Lucy, to stare into the east.

"Caspian, what –" Edmund glanced up at the king before following his gaze. He, too, did not speak.

"The Beginning of the End of the World," Lucy whispered in awe, staring at the ocean that spread away in a dazzling glare of silver. Eustace came up beside her, hazel eyes wide in amazement.

"Aslan's Country," Serene murmured as she came to stand beside Edmund, who encircled her waist with his arm and pulled her gently to his side.

Susan lightly rested her hand on Caspian's arm, knowing how long he had wanted to see this. Now though, she thought he was finally at peace; he did not need answers at this place. But still he would go; for as long as he had the ability to, he would seek the last adventure. It was in his blood, and she loved him all the more because of it.

Edmund turned to look at Caspian, as did everyone else. "Caspian, one final adventure, then?" Edmund asked, a grin slowly spreading across his face.

"Of course," he replied, nodding.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

Time seemed to stand still as they sailed to the end of the world. The sea, which they had thought silver, had actually been lilies so white, they reflected the sun in a silver reflection, like mirrors. Edmund and Caspian, along with the Stars, Drinian, and Eustace, tried several names for the sea, but the only one that seemed to fit was 'Silver Sea,' and that is the one that appeared on the maps Coriakin had given them. They sailed until the wave loomed up in the distance, and when they saw it, they felt they should not take the _Dawn_ _Treader_ any further.

"Drinian, won't you come with us?" Caspian approached the man who had become a friend to him on this voyage, asking him to join them. Drinian's hands rested lightly on the helm, and his dark brown hair swept across his forehead in the light wind that was coming out of the east.

"No, my friend, I will not. I have accompanied you long enough. This is something that you should do alone. I will wait here for your return. The wind blows to the west; it is almost time for us to sail home. I can feel it," Drinian replied, turning his head to glance at Caspian with earnest brown-gold eyes. He would always be a man of the sea and would long to smell the salt air and hear the surf pound in his ears until the day he died, but even he knew when it was time to return to land.

"And I can guess that none of the crew shall accompany us either?" Caspian asked, his tone light, since he already knew the answer.

"We are simple men, mythical and mortal alike; we do not need to go where you are about to. Sometimes, sometimes a man must be with family and only close friends to discover the answers he seeks," Drinian said, and Caspian knew he was right. Nodding slightly, Caspian left his friend to the wind and his place at the helm.

It was silent as Drinian watched the crew lower a boat into the water. "I would bid you farewell, but I can recall how much mortals hate such final words."

Drinian turned slightly to his right to see Arran standing near the rail, staring out into the Silver Sea, hair drifting on the breeze. Drinian still thought the length of Arran's hair had to be unbearable, but he kept his thoughts to himself. "I wish I had taken the time to become better friends with you, Arran," Drinian admitted.

"Sometimes we believe we have all the time in the world, that we are invincible. But always, nearly always, something is soon to remind us we are not." Arran turned to look at Drinian. "You hated me once, and I did not like you that well either. It's good to know we can part on friendlier terms. Would you be so kind as to grant me a favor?" Arran asked, approaching Drinian almost uncertainly.

"Of course, anything within my power for a friend," he answered.

"If– should you ever come across Neerva, or _The_ _Sea_ _Serpent_, please tell him to serve under Narnia's flag. He is a good man and a strong leader. He would consider it an honor to be a part of Narnia's young navy," Arran replied slowly, staring at the deck beneath his boots thoughtfully.

"Certainly, my friend," Drinian answered, realizing that he would never see his friend again, would never be able to swap stories of their adventures at sea. Suddenly reality hit him and he felt empty, caught between sadness and excitement for this adventure to have been achieved at long last. He would miss the pirate he had almost wanted to hang.

"_Frinerin_, Drinian; may the wind always fill your sails and the paths of the ocean be welcoming. I shall never forget you, not in a hundred centuries." And Arran walked down the stairs, leaving Drinian alone. The captain stood at the helm for some time after, watching as they rowed further away into the Silver Sea. A sob escaped him, and he bent his head over his hands and wept. This was an adventure that would not pass from memory.

No, it would never be forgotten.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"And there was Aslan, standing before me. I couldn't truly believe it; he was there, again, after all I'd done and all that had happened. It hurt when he changed me back into a boy, but it was a good pain, like pulling a thorn from your foot." Eustace told them of how he had become human again. As Edmund, Gavan, Zephyr, Caspian and Eustace took turns rowing, stories were shared for the others who had not been there to witness them.

"I truly believe Nithalazaar will be better for what has happened to him. Soon, I think he should be able to return to the sky, unless Aslan wishes to punish him as Coriakin has been punished," Arran remarked after silence had fallen for a time.

"I honestly believe he has changed," Lucy agreed, nodding.

"You know, I must say something," Eustace paused, lacing his fingers together and slowly unlacing them, trying to find the courage to speak what was weighing heavily on his mind. "Thank you all for treating me fairly even after all I did. I really think, looking at everything now, that I was a much better dragon than I was a boy. I'm sorry for being such a sop," he muttered, staring at the floor.

Everyone was quiet, but they all smiled a bit, sharing looks with one another. "It's okay, Eustace. But you _were_ a pretty good dragon." Edmund, in silent agreement, was chosen to utter the acceptance for Eustace's apology, while the others laughed or nudged him a bit on the shoulder, making him smile again.

"I rather like you better as a boy," Arran spoke up, slinging his arm around Eustace's shoulders in a very much undignified manner that did not fit his appearance at all. Eustace smiled, glad there was some small part of the Star that was the old Arran.

After the laughter over Eustace-as-a-dragon, they became quiet, each lost in thought. Susan held Rilian on her lap, letting the little boy occupy himself by playing with the end of her braid. Not even the child thought to squeal or cry out, almost as if he understood the need for silence.

It was Reepicheep, who had been standing in the bow, eagerly looking towards the east that gently broke the news to them in a slightly breathless tone of voice.

"My friends, we have arrived."

Everyone turned to look at the water that stretched up to meet the sky, awed at the majesty and beauty. Edmund and Caspian rowed until the boat struck a sand bar, and then Reepicheep jumped from the bow and into the water, swimming quickly to the clean stretch of sand before the wave. The others followed, Lucy leaning over and trailing her hands through the water before allowing Gavan to help her from the boat.

Arran walked to the shore not far behind his brothers, Caspian, and Susan. Eustace trailed along behind, suddenly feeling a bit scared. This was the end of the adventure, wasn't it? This meant he was about to lose people who had become very dear to him. He dreaded the sorrowful farewells he knew would not be long in coming.

The strong wind blew against them, spraying them with a fine mist. Lucy had let her hair fall freely around her shoulders, and now it whipped back in the wind, the sunlight catching on some lighter strands every now and then and making them look like burnished gold in Eustace's opinion. When he looked over at Arran, he saw for the first time the Star he had imagined Arran to look like.

His eyes were closed, and he had tilted his face upwards slightly to catch the warmth of the sun, long blonde hair pulling away from his clothes in the breeze. Eustace smiled when he noticed a thin silver scar that ran under Arran's collar and a small braid that was only visible in wind like this. Arran wouldn't change much, he thought, shaking his head slightly. He'd always have some of his memories of mortality with him, and they would set him apart.

Something about that pleased Eustace, though he did not know why.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

As they stood there, taking in the sight before them, it was Lucy who noticed the change first. She turned back, pulling away from Gavan, to face Aslan as the lion walked up from the endless stretch of sand. But it was Eustace who spoke his name aloud.

"Aslan."

"Welcome, you have come far. But now your journey is at its end," Aslan declared, looking at them each in turn. Arran stepped away from the group and walked toward him. Eustace thought he almost began lifting his hand to touch the lion but couldn't be certain.

"I cannot stay on Lumea any longer, can I?" he asked, his voice full of longing and dread.

"No, son of Light, you cannot. You gave up everything for the lives of a few. Does that change your choice?" Aslan stared into Arran's eyes with his own golden ones that seemed to hold more understanding than if all the world was to be filled with the emotion.

"It does not," Arran answered, his voice falling to almost a whisper. As he turned away, he glanced back at the lion. "I shall never see her again, shall I?" And this time, his voice sounded broken, pained.

"No, you shall not. You will rise and set and rise again, while she will pass into my Country."

Lucy looked up, wiping her tears of pity away; she asked softly, "Is _this_ your Country?"

"No, dear one, my Country lies beyond." And as he spoke, Aslan looked towards the wave, which seemed to dip slightly, allowing them to peer at mountains that stretched to the heavens and past, before it rose again, and all they could see was blue sky.

"Thank you, Great One, for giving me my light," Arran murmured, wrapping his arms around Aslan's neck and resting his face in his mane before stepping away. Aslan bowed his head, an unspoken understanding passing between them.

"Is my father in your Country?" Caspian's voice held a longing Susan had not heard in many a day. She looked up at him as he met Aslan's eyes with a gaze that begged to know.

"You can only discover this for yourself; I cannot tell you," Aslan replied, his voice comforting, though holding a hint of regret. "But you should know that if you continue, there is no return."

Caspian stared from the lion to the wave. A look passed through his eyes, and he took a step towards the wall of water. Susan wanted to keep him for going, she wanted to grab him and tell him that he mustn't go, but she did not hold him back. A part of her felt she understood longing to meet and talk to a person she had never met. She knew this was something he must decide on his own. As everyone watched him, wondering what he would do, Susan did not worry.

How he longed to know his father, to ask him questions about things he did not understand! How desperately he wished to cross into Aslan's Country. Caspian reached out, how close he was to all the answers he sought! The water was cool against his fingers, and he let it push against his hand for a moment before turning away. He already had a responsibility, a kingdom Aslan had entrusted to him and him alone. He did not think he could live with the knowledge that he left Susan alone to care for a kingdom of uneasy Telmarines and wary Narnians.

"You're not going?" Edmund watched his friend, knowing that Caspian had finally found his answers.

"I do not think it would be honorable of me if I gave up what I have fought so hard and long for. That would not make my father proud. I have been given a people, a kingdom. I cannot abandon them to suit my own pleasures. I have not been the king I ought," he paused and turned to look into Aslan's golden eyes. "I promise to be a better king."

"You already are," Aslan answered comfortingly.

Susan reached up and wrapped her arm around his neck, hugging him lightly when he returned to her side, wiping her tears from her eyes as she smiled in relief and joy that he'd come back of his own will.

"Children." Aslan turned to look at Edmund, Lucy and Eustace. Serene stared up at Edmund, tears in her eyes as she smiled. Slowly, she nodded before sliding from his embrace to walk toward the wave.

Lucy looked to Aslan, but Edmund spoke first. "I think we should return home, Lucy." She whirled to face him, surprise on her face. His eyes held regret, and he wished he could explain.

"But I thought you loved it here." She looked at him searchingly, trying to understand but failing.

Edmund knew it was her love for Narnia, Aslan, and Gavan that made her want to stay, and those realizations did not make what he was about to say any easier. "I do, and it will always be my true home. But back in England there are people who still need us: Mum, Dad, Aunt Alberta, Uncle Harold, Peter. Narnia doesn't need us. I felt the change months ago; I realized that Caspian is a good king, and Susan is a good queen. Narnia will always love us, but she doesn't _need_ us any longer." Edmund held out his hand, and slowly, she slipped hers into it.

"You're right, I suppose, but I don't want to go!" She tried to hold back her tears, but they could not be restrained. Sometimes, tears are needed.

"I understand, Lucy, more than you might think." Edmund smiled sadly before letting her hand slip from his.

"Mhmm," Reep cleared his throat, walking between Edmund and Lucy to Aslan's paws. "Your Eminence," he bowed, removing the golden circlet with the red feather attached from around his ear. "Ever since I can remember, I have dreamt of seeing your Country. I've had many great adventures in this world, but _nothing_ has dampened that yearning."

Aslan smiled at the Mouse while he fidgeted nervously. "I know I am hardly worthy, but, with your permission, I would lay down my sword for the joy of seeing your Country with my own eyes." He grasped the belt around his shoulder that was attached to his sword, staring up into the lion's face in earnest.

"My Country was made for noble hearts such as yours," Aslan answered. "No matter how small their bearers be."

"Oh, Your Majesty." Reep gasped and bowed once more.

"No one could be more deserving." Caspian smiled from where he stood next to Susan.

"Oh, I could tell you, well –" Reep stuttered, trying to refute the words.

"No, it's true," Edmund insisted, bowing toward the Mouse. The Stars nodded as well, smiles coming to their faces, Arran meeting Reep's eyes knowingly for but a moment. Reep nodded gratefully and bowed back. Then he smiled, looking up at Lucy, remembering something she had remarked upon the last time he had seen her. Brushing a few tears from her cheeks, she came and knelt before him.

"May I?" she asked, shrugging slightly, a small smile coming to her face.

Reep knew he couldn't look too weak, so he tried to stall. "Well, I suppose, but just thi –" He never finished his sentence, for she picked him up and hugged him warmly. Reepicheep smiled into the young woman's hair and hugged back with all the strength in his small body. He was going to miss her; of that, he was certain. "Goodbye, Lucy," he whispered before she set him down again and slowly rose to her feet.

Eustace, watching them, plucked up the courage to kneel as well. He realized he had never been grateful to the Mouse, never told him thank you for the impromptu sword-lessons and had always thought Reep a nuisance. He was glad he had been wrong about all those things but now wished he could fix them and spend more time with the Mouse.

"Don't cry," Reep whispered, noticing the tears that were glistening on Eustace's lashes as he thought about all the opportunities he had missed.

"But I don't understand; will I not see you again, _ever?"_ he asked, roughly brushing the back of his hand across his face, trying to rid himself of the tears.

"What a magnificent puzzle you are and a true hero. It has been an honour to fight beside such a great warrior and a true friend, Eustace. Goodbye." As he whispered the word, he bowed for the last time. Then, he pulled his sword from its little sheath at his side and flung it away into the water. "I won't need that, I should think," he murmured to himself, coming to stand beside Serene.

The enchantress had already bid Edmund goodbye, and now she smiled, raised her hand in the air, and disappeared, reminding Susan and Caspian of the battle against the Calormenes and Edmund of the last time he had lost her, when he'd fallen through the wardrobe. Eustace looked towards the wave and noticed a small boat, a coracle, in which Reepicheep was paddling up over the crest of the wave. Silently, those remaining on the sand watched him reach the top and then disappear. They would see the brave Mouse no more.

"This is our last time here, isn't it?" Lucy murmured, her voice soft from crying.

"Yes. You have grown up, my Dear One," Aslan said, his voice warm and calming. "Just like Peter and Susan."

"We shall never be with you again!" Lucy cried, wrapping her arms around his neck, weaving her fingers tightly into his silky mane. "Won't you visit us in our world?" she pleaded, knowing it was impossible but speaking the words just the same.

"I shall be watching you, always," the lion answered.

"But how?" she asked, trying to contain her sobs as tears fell down her cheeks.

"In your world, I have another name; you must learn to know me by it. That's the very reason you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you would know me better there," Aslan replied gently.

"Will we meet again?" Lucy had to know; she did not think she could bear it if she was never to see her beloved Aslan again.

"Yes, Dear One, one day." That answer gave her hope. She nodded before moving away from him.

"Oh, Lucy!" Susan cried, coming and wrapping her arms about her sister. "I will never see you again," she whispered, her voice trembling in fear of the unknown.

"It will be all right; someday we shall, you heard Aslan," Lucy whispered into her sister's ear, remembering their last parting and how Susan had comforted her. Now it was her turn to comfort her sister.

"I know, but not knowing _when_ will be so hard," Susan whispered, pulling back and looking into Lucy's eyes. Lucy nodded before leaving her to bid goodbye to Gavan, Zephyr, and Arran. But mostly to Gavan.

"I cannot tell you farewell; it will make this too real," he whispered, resting his head atop hers, holding her close. She watched her tears slowly soak his shirt, wondering why this had to be so painful.

"I know. I only hope we see one another again, someday," she whispered, looking up into his blue eyes which were full of more pain than she thought a person could bear.

"I pray time passes quickly," he whispered in return, his voice slightly ragged with emotion. After he spoke, he kissed her, caring little that they stood surrounded by her friends and family. He only knew that this pain he felt was unbearable and did not know how his brother could stand to be separated from the woman he loved.

"Goodbye, Gavan Greenwood, I will not forget you," she murmured as they parted, turning to bid goodbye to his brothers and then to Caspian.

"And I shall never forget you," he replied, though his voice was too low to be heard over the wind and wave.

Caspian looked around at them, disbelief in his eyes that this was all about to end, that soon he would be returning home to Cair Paravel, nevermore to see these people who he had come to love. "I want you to know that, that I think of you as family, a family I did not have." He swallowed, trying to be light-hearted about this. "Yes, that includes you, Eustace." He smiled, clasping Eustace on the shoulder. The boy looked up at him, his face tearstained with knowing that there was very little chance he would ever see these people again.

"Come, it is time."

Aslan's roar rent their air, and the small company of friends turned when they heard the wave behind them shift. There, like a tunnel of light, was a cave leading through the water, back to England, back to an ordinary life without those they had come to love. But it must be done, and they knew it. Slowly, Edmund began walking toward the opening in the water. Lucy followed slowly after, casting a longing glance over her shoulder at Aslan, Gavan, Susan, everyone she loved dearly in _this_ world before turning her face forward, where she was going, not where she was coming from.

They stopped when they heard the words Eustace had uttered behind them.

"Will _I_ not come back– not _ever?"_

Aslan's reply sent a thrill through them, because it meant something they had never thought would come again. Another Friend of Narnia.

"Perhaps, my son; this world may yet have need of you."

As they entered the tunnel, Lucy whirled to look back. Everyone had clustered together, the Stars, Caspian, Susan, Aslan, and they stood there as the water and light hid them from her eyes, watching them go, bidding them farewell.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

And then there was water and a great blueness all around. Like a dream, the words came to them as they swam upwards.

_"All the way from Cair Paravel to the Eastern Ocean, every stick and stone you see – every icicle – is __**Narnia**__."_

_"Once a King or Queen of Narnia, __**always**__ a King or Queen."_

_"Prince Caspian…?"_

_"You have grown up…"_

_"To the glistening Eastern Ocean,"_

_"To the Western Woods,"_

_"King and Queen of Narnia."_

_"Bye, bye, Dear!"_

_"Well, it will probably happen when you're not looking for it. Always best to keep your eyes open."_

_"We're not really needed here anymore."_

_"Cair Paravel…"_

_I shall be watching you **always…"**_

_**"Always."**_

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~ Cambridge, England ~**

And they were back in her bedroom in Cambridge. Lucy stared at the canvas that held an ocean she had sailed on, a ship she had stood on. Edmund glanced down at her, looking for an instant like Edmund the Just of Narnia before becoming Edmund Pevensie of Finchley again. But for an instant, King Edmund smiled at her, and for a second more, Queen Lucy the Valiant smiled back.

They would not forget.

Eustace glanced at them, realizing he was back in his English clothes. Suddenly, he wanted more than anything to get out of them and to change who he had been in England. As they sat there, feeling sad and happy – empty – Alberta began calling up the stairs.

"What are you three doing up there? Dinner's ready, and I have been calling and calling; please come eat before it gets cold!"

Eustace smiled mirthlessly before slowly standing, picking up the canvas as his cousins walked toward the door. They waited as he placed it back atop the mantle, watched the ship turn back and sink into the western horizon, and then left the room, silently closing the door behind them. As they meandered down the hallway, Edmund put his arm over Eustace's shoulders, grinning at him.

"Well, I believe we _have_ had a time, to quote Peter!" He smiled, though Eustace could see his smile was devoid of happiness. Lucy said nothing; she simply walked down the hall and slowly descended the stairs, thinking of Gavan. Edmund frowned as he watched her go. "We shall have to help her, you know," he remarked to Eustace before following after his sister.

**~|:Xo0oX:|~**

"And your friend, that Pole girl, Julie- no- Jill, I believe it was, called and asked if she might come over tomorrow to talk about school or something. Do you know what she's talking about, Eustace?" Alberta waited expectantly for her son to reply, but all he did was slowly stir his soup with his spoon, lost in thought.

"Mhmm." He nodded, wondering what was happening in Narnia right this moment.

"Why are you so quiet, hmm?" Alberta asked, uneasy about the heavy silence that pressed down upon the supper table. They only shrugged, glancing at one another before eating another forkful or another spoonful. They were eating but not really conscious of doing so. They were still in another world, and Edmund was privately mourning the loss of his Narnian meals. Even the fare aboard the _Dawn_ _Treader_ had been better than this!

Edmund mused over Narnia, remembering things he had done there during his time as king and during his most recent adventure. Suddenly, his eyes lit up when he hit upon the reason for his journals. "Please, excuse me! I- I must go look into something!" He stood hurriedly, knocking his chair to the floor and upsetting his spoon, spilling soup onto the tablecloth.

"What in heaven's name – ?" Alberta watched him dash from the room and listened to him sprint up the stairs in bewilderment.

"Oh, please, I must go too, Mother, er, Alberta," Eustace suddenly shouted, causing his father to jump from behind his newspaper. Edmund's outbursts of insanity he could ignore, but his son's? Not as easily.

"Well then, get on; don't go interrupting dinner!" Harold declared sharply. Lucy shared a look with Eustace before following him, not uttering a word as she rose from her place and followed after the boys.

"I never! Harold, what has gotten into Eustace?" Alberta asked her husband, staring at the doorway they'd left through before dropping her gaze to the chairs that had been pushed haphazardly from the table and the mess Edmund had made.

"I couldn't tell you, my dear, only don't lets allow Eustace to spend too much alone time with those two; they're a strange lot, Edmund and Lucy," Harold declared dismissively, crinkling his newspapers so he could read the print better. Alberta stared blankly at the table, bringing an empty fork to her mouth and biting down hard before realizing there was nothing on it.

What unusual children.

In later years, it would be Eustace who suggested they formally call themselves "The Friends of Narnia" when they got together every fall. And it would be Eustace who would lead the coming expeditions into Narnia. He had learned more from his cousins and his Narnian friends then he had thought he could, and he would never forget that.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Well, this is the final A/N I'll ever write on here. I really don't know what to say. So, as I don't rightly know how to start, I'll go through the acknowledgements first. How about that?**

* * *

**~Acknowledgments~**

**ILoveFanfiction: Because she has really been a great reader and support through this entire thing. Honestly, she has be one of the ones to keep me going. Thanks a million for always taking the time to help me with problems and read this story. I don't know how good this stuff is that I've written, but she's made me think I stand a chance. She's the one who taught me that "alright" wasn't an official word. Thank you very much!**

**Jesus girl 4ever: Though she was dragged into this late (by yours truly) she really jumped into it all the way. She showed enthusiasm in trying to fix my errors as best she could. I don't know what I would do without her, she's the one who taught me things about punctuation I never got and made it understandable. (Though her efforts have been valiant, I will always be punctuation-illiterate, I'm afraid.) **

**Bekah (Writer for God): She was the first reviewer of this story that read every single chapter of Star~Crossed. And she's reviewed quite a few of these. She has really been a great friend, I don't know how she puts up with my wild PMing and crazy story ideas, but she has; I can't tell her thank you enough! **

**My family: They are the people who have always encouraged me to write; they have never stopped me nor prevented me from following this dream. If not for them and their encouragement (as much as it has turned to longing that I write something myself) I can, with a great deal of certainty, say that I would not be writing this acknowledgement today. In fact, it was a late-night internet surf with my sis that made me end up with this account. Though a fellow writer encouraged me to get one, my sister was the force behind my actions. I've never been that bold about doing something new and entering new worlds. I'm glad she pushed me into this one. Thanks, sis!**

**To God: He gave me this gift of writing, this ability to use words to create something from my imagination or write something at all. He is marvelous! I don't quite know where I would be without Him in my life. He gave me this idea, He led me to find Narnia and the greater world inside of it; a much bigger, vaster world than I could ever have imagined. Because of Him, I shall always make certain to find the larger things inside the small. I shall strive to find the world with in the world, as long as I live. I have no words, really, for what He has done for me. But you must know at least as much as I can explain, that it is greater than I could ever have imagined! **

**And, to those no longer living, but still very much important: Jack Lewis, thank you for giving us this series, these books. Thank you for placing God in a more wonderful light. You made something no one could replicate, because only you could think of it. Thank you for finding Narnia. We couldn't have found the way without you. **

**My brother, I pray I will at last meet you in Aslan's Country. The land I earnestly long for, though will not know how great I long for it until I am there. These are for you, because I know you would have loved them as much as I do. **

** ~ Long live Aslan! ~**

* * *

**Now, I think I can begin about this chapter, don't you? **

**I felt it fitting, in a way, to have that parting with Drinian. I think that is some of the very best writing I've ever done. It fits, because he knows in his heart that he shall never see some of them again, and that is something worthy of tears. There is nothing wrong with tears that come from the heart. And I think it goes back in a way to C.S. Lewis's writing style. He was never adverse to writing such lines, and neither shall I be. **

**The idea that Edmund comes upon at the dinner table shall be explained shortly, so, ask questions if you must, but know it will all come clear in the epilogue. **

**I like that Edmund asks Caspian about going to the end of the world, I think that it's showing their friendship toward one another. Edmund knows what Caspian will do, and he supports it entirely. I always loved how well the relationship between Edmund and Peter was written and scripted, and even though I've never been a fan of the VOTDT film, I think that the writers did a good job showing Edmund and Caspian's relationship like Edmund and Peter's had been. **

**I really don't have anything more to say. Except that _"Frinerin"_ [pronounced frin-ere-rin] means "farewell" in Davanrata, that Eustace shall see Arran again, and that the third installment will be titled _"Starless Sky"_ and be out in a week (until then watch out for chapters of _'Seven Swords, Seven Lords'_ and _'Before The Mast'_) and I'll be posting some one-shots.**

* * *

**ILoveFanfiction:**

**I hope this chapter pleases you and meets your expectations. I know that it has made me wistful for a better version of the film (excluding my OCs of course). I don't truly know for certain if I will finish 7s7l and BTM, but I will try.**

**The segment where I wrote quotes is something I wished had happened in the movie. It would have made the entire thing more dramatic to have lines from all the previous films echoing as they swam through the water. I think its more effective and it really hits home that VotDT was Lucy and Edmund's final Narnian adventure. **

**I hope you're as excited for book 3 as I am! Though, I'm telling you now, there are things I have changed (which will mainly come into effect in book 4) because I like detail, histories, and genealogies. I also feel a need to take some creative license because this is Fanfiction. But don't worry! It won't be something too dramatic or un-C.S. Lewis at all. **

**I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this chapter and chapter 35! I wish I could wait to post this (I probably should) but I just want to. I just have this feeling to finish this story and begin the next, I suppose. **

**I'm sorry this is another extremely looooong chapter, but the last chapters seem to be styling themselves in this manner; nothing I think of could change it. This chapter had to be written this way! So, I can't wait to hear back from you,**

**WH **


	37. Epilogue

**_Epilogue_**

**A Fresh Wind Blows, A New Chapter Begins**

**{XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX}**

**~Cambridge, England~**

Eustace ran to open the front door after Alberta had told him that Jill was going to drop in for a visit and the bell began ringing shortly after. Edmund and Lucy followed after him, standing near the door when Eustace energetically flung it wide.

"… Yes, I agree. You say that you're her oldest brother? Well, this is interesting; I met –"

The three people talking on the stoop quieted when the door opened wide, sunlight streaming in onto the wooden floor of the front hall. The golden light glinted on the blonde hair of the callers and fell in soft rays around them, making it seem as if they had stepped from a dream.

The blue sky and green yards with their trim houses behind the three visitors framed up the picture in the doorway, making it seem like the ending of a film, the one where the characters went on an incredible adventure and had many great journeys but are at last coming home, are at last coming all together once again, and the sun shines, and the sky is blue, a perfect ending and an unknown beginning.

Jill smiled brightly at Eustace as she hopped over the threshold eagerly. "I have scads of interesting stuff to talk about, Scrubb." She laughed. "I'm Jill Pole, pleasure!" she declared energetically to a startled Edmund and a smiling Lucy as she reached forward and shook each of their hands in turn before glancing back to the remaining figures standing in the doorway.

Peter smiled at his startled siblings; they had had no idea that he would be coming back here any time soon.

"I've come to say hello before I say goodbye again," he explained as a smile slowly crossed his features, making him look like his old self, from before any of the Narnian adventures. True, he was older, and there was a spark in his eyes that hadn't always been there before, but he was back; the old Peter was back at last. Edmund grinned brightly, and Lucy ran to hug him.

After she'd done this, the last person standing quietly on the stoop finally caught her attention. He was rather like Peter in appearance and height, though his hair was a much lighter blonde than her brother's. He was wearing a green military uniform which made his complexion appear all the more fair; crystal blue eyes twinkled as he smiled at her, that familiar mischievous look reflecting in them that she'd come to know well from the time she'd spent with him.

"Hello, I saw you passing outside the residence I'm residing at, and I thought I'd seen you before somewhere, miss; I was inviting myself over to see for certain," he said with a friendly smile as he addressed Lucy, causing Peter to look at him with a suspicious glance.

Edmund spoke up, quickly catching on to the game. "Excuse me, but I failed to catch your name soldier; I _do_ think you look familiar."

"Gavan, Gavan Greenwood. I'm on leave after getting injured, but I don't think I'll be going back; my injury has impaired me in a way that prevents me from returning to active duty," the soldier replied.

Eustace, never one for secrets, recognized the visitor immediately and shouted out, "Gavan, it's fantastic to see you again!" making Peter look at him with a curious glance; clearly there was something here he that he had missed.

"Come on, I don't want to stand here all day! Can't they go to the dining room, Scrubb, while we talk in the kitchen over a glass of lemonade?" Jill spoke up, eager to talk with her friend about something she felt was important.

"Of course, Pole! Come along, everyone. Peter, Gavan, you can talk in private in the dining room, like Pole said," Eustace declared as he led the way into the house. When they arrived at the door to the dining room, Jill skipped off to the kitchen while Eustace stood there awkwardly, not wanting to miss the conversation but also wanting to talk with his friend.

"Right, well then, I'll leave you to it," he said, breaking the silence at last and turning to go.

"Eustace," Gavan called him, making the boy turn around slightly. "I won't forget it; you shouldn't miss a thing." Eustace dipped his head slightly in thanks and walked off, knowing what he meant.

"So, how is it you know my sister, my brother, _and_ my cousin?" Peter asked calmly once he had closed the dining room doors.

Gavan merely grinned brightly before speaking the word that had been on the tip of his tongue since he'd first seen Peter. "Narnian."

Peter stared at him, shook his head several times, and blinked. "Come again?" he asked weakly. He had been away from his siblings too long; he was starting to hear things.

"You're a Narnian. I'm from Narnia; I'm Narnian. When we were talking at the door, I thought you were one too, from the way you acted, but I wasn't sure, and I did not want to look foolish saying something like that, especially in front of the girl, Jill. I didn't know who she was, and I didn't want to run the risk of coming off as absolutely insane," Gavan mused as he finished, as if talking mainly to himself.

"I suppose not." Peter laughed.

"But how, Gavan?" Lucy suddenly chimed in, walking closer to his side.

"Well, I suppose Aslan understood my heart; He knew what I wanted. I wanted to go with you but knew it was too great to ask. After all, He had saved myself and my brothers; what more did I have a right to ask for? But, as we stood there, my brothers and I, deciding if we wanted to go back with Susan and Caspian or go directly to the sky, Aslan asked me if I would rather find you. I said yes. So, here I am!" He explained simply, holding his arms out.

"Well, it _is_ good to see you again. But I suppose it's hard adjusting to this world," Edmund commented.

"Actually, yes and no. Being able to read wants has more than helped, though at times I cannot get over the absurd things you people do! I spent ages trying to get the daughter of the couple who are taking care of "a man who bravely fought for his 'king and country' to leave me alone! Then they would not stop talking about all sorts of boring topics, and Mrs. Fenton – odd name isn't it? – would not stop murmuring little things like 'oh, poor dear' and 'it must have been horrible for you.' I was so desperate to get away I almost used my magic, but I abstained, though barely so." He smiled at this as if it were some major feat.

Lucy laughed, enjoying hearing his voice after so long. He was incredibly good at making everything lighter and more cheerful than it truly was.

"Wait, you mean Aslan let you keep your magic?" Edmund asked in surprise.

"Yes, why wouldn't he?" Gavan queried, almost indignantly, though it only succeeded in making him look comical. With his mussed blonde curls and confused expression, he did not look the part of injured soldier come home to convalesce or Narnian Star.

"It's jus– It's just–" Edmund couldn't seem to get his sentence finished, for at that moment, as if to prove he still indeed had his magic, Gavan closed his hands together, blew into them with a grin, and opened them, revealing a small flame dancing on his palm.

"By the Lion's mane, you _are_ Narnian!" Peter laughed, giving Gavan a comradely slap on the shoulder. The blonde young man nodded with a laugh of his own. Soon Edmund and Lucy were joining in as well. A little while later, Eustace entered the room. "Pole's gone; now what did I miss?"

Gavan answered the question silently for him, smiling as Eustace did.

Edmund excused himself from the room but returned shortly looking rather out of breath, as if he had been running stairs (which he had) but excited none the less. Well, as excited as Edmund could get. He _was_ rather a quiet person. Under his arm, he had four books. In the other hand, he held several assorted pencils.

"Peter, what can you recall of our first great adventure in Narnia? I'm already working on our recent one; you haven't heard about it yet, Pete, so Eustace and I'll tell you. Perhaps, Gavan, you could throw in little bits here and there. I'm not writing anything in ink yet, so we can get it all down correctly, but anyway, I don't think Aslan would let it get incorrect," Edmund said with a smile.

"I think I remember something of going through the wardrobe; here, let me see," Peter replied, reaching for the open journal Edmund held out to him. Peter went and sat down at the head of the lovely oak dining table, the sunlight spilling in from an open window behind him.

_"The night of the Blitz was dark, and we hadn't been expecting it to come on so suddenly. One moment everything was quiet, and the next, sirens were wailing loudly outside..."_

The nineteen year old smiled as he read, noticing that where something needed to be added, he found that, as if by magic, the space was given for him to write it out in. Edmund glanced at his brother, and for but a moment, he did not see the college student but a king. A king who had led, fought, and loved. A man who had given up much, yet was rich beyond what the world offered. As he watched his brother, head cocked, a memory came to him from their time as kings.

_"I think, Edmund, no, I _**believe**_, that everyone goes on great adventures, whether in this world or another, and they all learn things that change them. They return home expecting, thinking, 'perhaps it won't be so very different after all'_, _but it is, oh how it is! You are never the same after that, and nothing will alter it. You cannot ever be who you were before; you have learned too much, seen too many things..."_

At last, the great adventures of the Pevensies were over. Edmund looked a little to his left, as Eustace said something to Gavan, and the Star laughed, his arm around Lucy. She put her hand lightly on his shoulder as she smiled up at him. Edmund knew then that, though their adventures were over, they would not be forgotten. No, they would still tell them _years_ and _years_ from now.

Eustace glanced down the table at Peter and was surprised to see tears falling from the silent young man's eyes while he turned the pages of the book in his hands. As the sunlight filtered into the room around them, warm and promising spring, Eustace finally saw why Peter was called magnificent. It was because of the way he acted, how he treated things. Yes, he was at times hard to understand, but that had been before he'd changed. Now Eustace saw in a different light, and things were less complicated to figure out.

Peter was – had always been – a leader. Now Eustace saw it. His cousins were not to be ashamed of, but rather people to be extremely proud of. They had lived a lifetime and were not broken and care-worn because of it. They had found a good, strong path upwards and were not afraid to climb it, but they did not want to climb alone. They were taking anyone who was willing to go the journey.

He wanted now to be a part of that; he wanted to walk with the Pevensies. Even if it meant leaving behind all his old habits and well-known comforts; that was the point of adventure, wasn't it? To go beyond one's comfort zones, explore the unknown, to take part in an epic Story, to help narrate and write it. But not alone, no, never alone; Aslan would always be there to lead and show the right path. But he would not scold and shout directions; he would whisper hints, and one had to go about keeping their eyes and ears open.

Eustace finally settled down and began telling the latest adventure.

_"We were in Lucy's room, and Ed and I got into a row about some silly nonsense having to do with me being such a lazy coward, always blaming Edmund for things or needling him on some subject or other. It was Lucy who pointed out that the painting had come alive. I rushed to it, though they were smiling, knowing the secret I did not._

_"I tried to pull the picture off the wall, being annoying as usual. Edmund and Lucy quickly pulled me back, but it was already too late; the canvas was on the floor, pouring water in at an atrocious angle now. Soon it had filled the room, and they had to swim. I would've drowned if not for Lucy. Anyway, there we were, me screaming and caterwauling about like some spoilt brat, I really was, wasn't I? – No, don't answer that Ed, I know what you'll say – when suddenly a ship was bearing down on us, someone shouting from the deck before three men dived off the bow..."_

Peter listened eagerly, and Edmund nodded, Gavan smiling as he remembered the day, sharing a thought with Lucy about something he remembered. She smiled at him, shaking her head before returning her attention to the story. A light spring breeze blew through the house, bringing the smell of late spring and promising after it a wonderful, marvelous summer. It lifted the curtains and tablecloths as it passed from room to room, turning book pages and whistling through chimes on the old clock in the hall, the open windows like portals for its entrance.

The white lace curtains swayed back in the breeze, opening to a small guestroom with white furnishings and a rather plain fireplace and mantle. Gracing this mantle was a simple, yet elegant, gilt framed painting, and, on the gentle breeze, it seemed as if you could hear the rise and fall of waves, and the roar of breakers on a sandy shore. The ship, with a royal purple canvas, seemed to crest a wave as she sailed out of sight, her banners flying in the strong wind.

After this adventure, Eustace often kept a diary of his days, though not as focused on others and their faults as it had been. Shortly thereafter, his cousins departed, along with Gavan and the exciting stories of Narnia, leaving him alone. He was never the same; everyone saw it, including his parents. Alberta blamed it on the Pevensie children, and she was, for the most part, correct in her assumptions, although Narnia had been a larger part in his transformation than anything.

In his diary, several days after his cousins left, he penned down his thoughts on them, but he closed with this:

_"We talked of Narnia often, in those following days. And now that the war's over, and they've gone, I miss them, miss them with all my heart, as I now know all Narnians will, until the end of time. I did not think I would feel this way; I suppose none of us suspected it. Adventures, well, I'm starting to see that they change you; you either find what you've been looking for, or you take the wrong path and are lost. I learned that best from my cousins. Fairy-tales do have a grain of truth in them, I suppose now. We're never too stupid, any of us, to learn from past mistakes._

_"To learn, grow, change. I like the sound of that. Yes, I have changed. No going back now; must move forward! Yes, forward into the wide unknown to find a new adventure!"_


End file.
